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4^ 


THE  STORY  OF 

JESUS ^ 

-  TOLD  FOR  - 

CHILDREN 


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Division 
Section 


THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS 


'\N 


DEC  8  1910      :i 


THE^STORY-OF 

^  ^JESUS  ^  ^ 

TOLD  ^  FOR- CHILDREN 


E'F  JONES 


NEW'YORK 

T'V'CROWELL  5^'CO. 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1910, 
By  THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  &  COMPANY 


CHAP. 

Contents 

PAGB 

Foreword  ..... 

ix 

I. 

Mary,  the  Mother  of  Jesus  . 

I 

II. 

The  Year  of  the  Lord 

3 

III. 

The  Babe  Jesus  in  the  Temple 

6 

IV. 

The  Wise  Men  . 

7 

V. 

The  Boy  Jesus  at  Nazareth    . 

lO 

VI. 

The  Visit  to  Jerusalem 

12 

VII. 

How  Jesus  was  Taught 

IS 

VIII. 

John,  the  Forerunner    . 

17 

IX. 

Christ  Tempted  in  the  Wilderness 

19 

X. 

The  First  Followers  of  Jesus 

21 

XI. 

The  Wedding  at  Cana 

24 

XII. 

Galilee 

26 

XIII. 

The  Temple       .... 

28 

XIV. 

The  Ruler  of  Jerusalem 

3» 

XV. 

The  Woman  of  Samaria 

32 

XVI. 

Jesus  Rejected  at  Nazareth    . 

35 

XVII. 

Jesus  at  Cana  and  Capernaum 

.       37 

XVIII. 

The  Fishermen    .... 

.       41 

XIX. 

Four  Good  Friends 

•       43 

XX. 

The  Pool  of  Bethesda  . 

.       46 

XXI. 

Keeping  the  Sabbath     . 

.      48 

IV 


Contents 


XXTI.  The  Twelve  Apostles      ...  50 

XXIII.  Jesus  Teaches  on  the  Hillside  .  .  52 

XXIV.  When  Jesus  Walked  in  Galilee            .  54 
XXV.  The  Fate  of  John  the  Baptist     .          .  56 

XXVI.  The  Sinful  Woman  Who  Loved  Much  59 

XXVII.  Preaching  the    Good  Tidings  of  the 

Kingdom 62 

XXVIII.  Parable  of  the  Sower      ...  64 

XXIX.  The  Storm  on  the  Sea     .         .         .  66 

XXX.  The  Madman  of  Gadara  .         .  68 

XXXt.  Matthew's  Feast     ....  70 

XXXII.  "  Little  Maid,  Arise  !  "  .         .         .  72 

XXXIII.  The  Meal  in  the  Desert  ...  76 

XXXIV.  "  Be  of  Good  Cheer  "  •         .  79 
XXXV.  The  Bread,  of  Life         .         .         .81 

XXXVI.  God's  Law  and  Tradition         .  .  84 

XXXVII.  The  Greek  Woman         ...  86 

XXXVIII.  The  Vision  on  the  Mount        .         .  88 

XXXIX.  Who  Is  the  Greatest  ?      .  .  .91 

XL.  Jesus  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles        .  94 

XLI.  The  Sinful  Woman  of  Jerusalem         .  98 

XLII.  The  Blind  Man  and  the  Pharisees     .  loi 

XLIII.  The  Mission  of  the  Seventy     .  .104 

XLIV.  "Who     is     My    Neighbor?"     The  1 

Good  Part  .  .  .  .107 

XLV.  Blessing    the   Children.     The    Great 

Refusal 1 10 

XLVI.  On  the   Other   Side    of   Jordan,  and 

in  Solomon's  Porch     .  .  •  1 '  3 


Contents 


CHAP. 

XLVII. 

"Thy    Brother    Shall    Rise    A 
"  Lazarus  !  " 

gain.' 

PAGB 

ii6 

XLVIII. 

The  Plot  of  the  Priests 

1 20 

XLIX. 

Bartimaeus  and  Zacchasus   . 

122 

L. 

Mary's  Jar  of  Ointment      . 

125 

LI. 

"  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David . 

" 

127 

LII. 
LIII. 
LIV. 

LV. 

Monday  in  the  Temple 
The  Last  Day  of  Teaching 
The  Last  Supper 
The  Garden  of  Gethsemane 

131 
133 

J37 
H3 

LVI. 

Jesus  Before  the  Priests 

H7 

LVII. 

Peter's  Denial  . 

150 

LVIII. 

Before  the  Governor 

.     152 

LIX. 

Jesus  Crucified 

.     158 

LX. 

The  Grave  in  the  Garden  . 

.     163 

LXI. 

Jesus  Rises  From  the  Dead 

.     165 

LXII. 

The  Evening  of  the  Resurrection  Day 

.     168 

LXIII. 

"  Lovest  Thou  Me  ? " 

. 

.     172 

•'  Fain  would  I,  oh,  divine  Son  of  Mary,  fetble  though  I  be, 
have  said  something  great  about  Thee." — Justin  Martyr. 


Foreword 

IT  is  a  long  time  ago  since  the  Lord  Jesus 
lived  on  earth  among  men,  but  His  story  is 
as  fresh  as  yesterday,  and  He  is  still  the 
same  Master  and  Saviour  to  those  who  love  Him 
and  obey  Him. 

Some  of  His  followers  wrote  down  His  life  as 
they  knew  it.  Their  writings  are  called  the 
Gospels,  or  the  "  Good  Tidings." 

The  first  Gospel  bears  the  name  of  Matthew 
the  tax-gatherer  who  left  his  money  table  when 
Jesus  called  him,  and  became  one  of  the  twelve 
friends  who  went  about  with  Him. 

Matthew  wrote  as  a  Jew  for  Jews,  to  show  that 
Jesus,  "  the  Son  of  David  "  was  the  Messiah  they 
looked  for  to  restore  their  kingdom,  and  to  rule 
a  conquering  king. 

He  told  how  Jesus  came  as  the  Son  of  the 
Father  in  Heaven,  and  that  His  kingdom  began 
in  the  heart,  not  as  an  outward  one  of  crown  and 
soldiers  and  rewards,  and  he  gives  many  sayings 
of  the  prophets  that  so  it  should  be. 

The  second  Gospel  bears  the  name  of  Mark, 


viii  Foreword 

and  begins  with  the  words,  "  The  good  Tidings 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 

Mark  was  the  nephew  of  Peter,  who  must  have 
told  him  many  things  he  has  written  down,  for 
Peter  was  one  of  the  first  to  beheve  that  his 
Master  Jesus,  who  called  Himself  "  the  Son  of 
Man  "  was  the  Son  of  God  also, 

Luke  was  a  doctor,  a  Greek,  and  he  wrote  his 
book  for  a  friend  named  Theophilus,  and  for  the 
Greeks  and  foreigners,  to  put  the  things  in 
order  that  they  had  been  taught  about  Jesus. 
This  is  the  longest  Gospel.  Luke  says  that  he  . 
had  traced  "  all  things  accurately  from  the  first," 
and  he  knew  them  to  be  true.  He  tells  much 
that  is  not  in  the  other  Gospels. 

The  fourth  Gospel  was  written  a  good  while 
after  the  others.  It  seems  that  John,  the  beloved 
disciple,  when  he  was  a  very  old  man,  must  have 
told  the  story  of  Jesus,  and  what  he  had  heard 
Him  say,  to  some  one  who  wrote  it  all  down  with 
words  of  his  own. 

This  is  a  most  wonderful  book.  In  it,  Jesus 
is  called  "  the  Word  "  : — because  He  told  what 
God  is ;  and  "  the  Light  of  the  World  "  : — be- 
cause He  taught  men  how  to  live  ;  and,  "  the 
Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world,"  because  He  died  for  men. 


Foreword  ix 

These  four  books  are  the  only  true  records  of 
the  Hfe  of  Jesus,  whom  His  own  people  the  Jews 
called  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph." 
Most  of  them  refused  Him  for  their  king,  then, 
as  they  still  do,  but  to  those  who  truly  know 
Him  He  is  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
who  rules  over  a  heavenly  kingdom  which  shall 
last  forever. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Childhood  of  Jesus    .     Frontispiece 

OPP. 

PAGE 

The   Star  in  the   East   guides  the 

Wise  Men  to  Bethlehem    ...       8 
Jesus    drives    the    Money-changers 

from  the  Temple 30 

The  Sermon  on  the  Mount    ...     52 
The  Raising  of  Jairus's  Daughter    .     74 
•''Suffer    little    children    to    come 
UNTO  me''     ........  110 

The  Entry  into  Jerusalem      .     .     .  130 
The  Women  at  the  Tomb    .     .     .     :.  166 


The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  I 
MARY,  THE  MOTHER  OF  JESUS 

ALONG  time  ago,  there  lived  at  Nazareth, 
a   httle  town   in  the  land  that  is  now 
called  Palestine,  or  the  Holy  Land,  a 
Jewish  girl  named  Mary, 

Not  many  Jews  live  in  their  own  country  now, 
and  it  is  under  the  rule  of  the  Turks.  But  at 
that  time  the  Romans,  who  conquered  so  many 
countries,  had  conquered  Judaea,  as  it  was  then 
called,  too,  and  had  set  a  governor  over  the  land, 
to  rule  for  the  Emperor  at  Rome. 

The  Jews  could  not  bear  to  think  that  the 
power  of  their  kings  was  taken  away,  and  they 
hated  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Romans,  They 
longed  for  the  Messiah,  the  promise  of  God 
to  their  great  leaders  and  prophets,  to  come 
and  deliver  them.  The  word  Messiah  means 
Anointed  One,  for  a  Jewish  king  had  oil  poured 
on  his  head ;  in  Greek,  the  word  is  Christ. 


2  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Now  Mary  often  read  about  the  wonderful 
promise  of  God  in  the  books  of  the  prophets. 
Like  all  the  women  of  her  country,  she  hoped 
that  she  might  have  the  great  joy  of  being  the 
mother  of  the  Messiah.  Mary  was  descended 
from  the  great  King  David,  who  was  first  a 
shepherd  boy,  and  then  a  soldier  and  a  king — 
who,  too,  could  make  such  beautiful  songs  that 
he  was  called  the  "  Sweet  Singer  of  Israel." 
She  thought  much  about  these  things,  although 
she  was  humble  and  poor,  for  she  was  noble  and 
true,  and  good. 

Luke  says  in  his  Gospel  that  when  the  full 
time  so  long  looked  for,  had  come,  Gabriel,  one 
of  God's  angels,  was  sent  to  tell  Mary  that  she 
was  to  be  the  mother  of  the  great  King. 

The  angel  said,  "  Thou  shalt  call  His  name 
Jesus.  .  .  .  He  shall  be  great,  and  the  Lord 
God  will  give  unto  Him  His  father  David's 
throne.     He  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God." 

And  Mary  said,  "  Behold,  I  am  the  handmaid 
of  the  Lord;  be  it  done  unto  me  according  to 
thy  word." 

She  was  so  full  of  joy  that  afterward  she  made 
a  song,  to  thank  God. 

Soon  after,  she  was  married  to  a  good  and  just 
man  named  Joseph,  who  was  very  kind  to  her. 


The  Year  of  the  Lord  3 

Joseph  was  a  carpenter,  and  he  hved  in  the  same 
town  of  Nazareth. 


CHAPTER   II 
THE  YEAR  OF  THE  LORD 
"  Glad  tidings  of  great  joy." 

IT  was  most  hkely  in  the  spring  time  that 
Mary  and  Joseph  left  their  home  among 
the  hills  at  Nazareth,  to  go  to  Bethlehem, 
eighty  miles  away  in  the  South.  The  Emperor 
Augustus  Caesar  had  ordered  a  great  census,  or 
numbering  of  the  people,  and  all  were  to  go  to 
the  towns  where  their  families  first  lived,  to  have 
their  names  set  down.  Mary  and  Joseph  were 
both  of  the  family  of  King  David,  and  Bethle- 
hem was  the  City  of  David :  that  is  why  they 
had  to  go  so  far.  They  went  very  slowly,  as 
they  always  travel  in  the  East,  Mary  riding  upon 
an  ass,  and  Joseph  leading  it  along  the  rough 
roads. 

After  several  days  they  came  to  Bethlehem. 
It  was  evening  when  they  went  up  the  hill  and 
through  the  gate.  The  street  was  crowded  with 
people  who  had  come  to  be  enrolled,  and  the  inn 


4  The  Story  of  Jesus 

was  quite  full.  Now  an  Eastern  inn  or  khan  is 
a  courtyard,  with  a  thick  wall  in  which  are  deep 
recesses.  In  these,  the  people  and  their  asses 
and  camels  live  and  sleep,  while  they  stay. 

But  there  was  no  room  for  Mary  and  Joseph, 
so  they  had  to  be  in  the  stable,  which  was  only 
a  cave. 

There  it  was  that  Jesus  was  born.  What  a 
rough  place  for  the  baby  Messiah  to  come  to 
first  of  all !  His  mother  Mary  wrapped  Him  in 
swaddling  clothes,  the  linen  bands  rolled  tightly 
round  that  all  Jewish  babies  wore,  and  laid  Him 
to  sleep  in  a  manger.  Her  heart  was  full  of  love 
and  joy  as  she  watched  Him  there. 

In  the  fields  outside  Bethlehem  that  night 
some  shepherds  were  watching  their  flocks,  in 
case  a  wolf  or  a  bear  should  carry  off  a  sheep  or 
a  lamb. 

As  they  sat  by  their  fire  and  talked  together, 
a  great  light  shone  round  them,  and  they  saw  a 
bright  angel.  They  were  much  afraid,  but  he 
said  to  them,  "  Fear  not,  for  behold,  I  bring  you 
good  tidings  of  great  joy,  for  all  people.  Unto 
you  is  born  this  day  in  the  City  of  David,  a  Sa- 
viour, which  is  Christ  the  Lord."  And  he  told 
them  how  they  should  know  Him.  "  Ye  shall 
find  a  babe,"  he  said,  "  wrapped   in   swaddling 


The  Year  of  the  Lord  5 

clothes,  lying  in  a  manger."  Then  many  angels 
sang  together: — "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest; 
on  earth  peace,  good-will  among  men." 

And  when  the  angels  had  gone  away,  and  the 
fields  were  still  and  dark  again  the  shepherds 
said  to  one  another,  '•  Come,  let  us  go  to  Beth- 
lehem, and  see  this  thing  which  is  come  to  pass, 
which  the  Lord  hath  made  known  unto  us." 

So  they  hastened  through  the  quiet  street,  and 
came  to  the  inn.  They  found  as  the  angel 
said — no  grand  house,  nor  servants,  nor  gold 
and  purple  clothing  for  a  king's  son — but  a 
young  mother  and  her  carpenter  husband  with 
his  ass, — Mary  and  Joseph,  and  the  Babe  lying 
in  a  manger. 

And  they  were  glad,  and  when  they  went 
away,  they  told  the  good  news  to  every  one  they 
met,  and  how  they  had  heard  the  song  of  the 
angels.  Mary  wondered,  and  thought  of  it 
often.  She  remembered  it  all  long  afterward, 
when  she  understood  more  about  Jesus  and  His 
real  kingdom. 

Jesus  came  to  the  poor  and  the  humble.  As 
a  babe.  He  was  laid  in  a  manger  among  the  oxen 
and  the  asses,  and  it  was  to  the  shepherds  in  the 
fields  that  the  good  news  was  first  told. 


The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  BABE  JESUS  IN  THE  TEMPLE 

EIGHT  days  after  this  joyful  night  (as  was 
the  custom  of  the  Jews)  the  httle  child 
was  given  the  name  of  Jesus  by  Joseph 
and  Mary.  Jesus  is  the  same  name  as  Joshua, 
and  many  Jewish  parents  gave  it  to  their  boys  in 
memory  of  the  great  captain  who  had  led  the 
people  into  Canaan.  But  this  Jesus  was  to  be 
the  greatest  Deliverer  of  all,  for  He  should  save 
His  people  from  their  sin. 

Thirty-two  days  later,  when  Jesus  was  a  little 
more  than  a  month  old,  Mary  and  Joseph  carried 
Him  to  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem.  All  the  first- 
born sons  were  taken  there  by  their  parents,  to 
be  presented  to  God.  Mary  had  brought  an  of- 
fering. She  was  too  poor  to  give  a  lamb,  so 
they  had  two  doves  instead.  These  were  given 
to  the  priest,  to  be  burnt  upon  the  altar. 

Now,  there  was  living  in  Jerusalem  a  very 
good  old  man,  named  Simeon,  and  God  had 
promised   him   that   he   should   see   the   Lord's 


The  Wise  Men  7 

Christ  before  he  died.  Simeon  came  just  then 
into  the  Temple.  And  when  he  saw  the  Httle 
Jesus  with  His  parents,  he  knew  that  God  had 
kept  His  promise.  He  took  the  Babe  in  his 
arms,  and  blessed  God,  and  said : 

"  Lord,  now  let  Thy  servant  depart  in  peace, 
as  Thou  hast  said,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy 
salvation." 

Good  and  wise  old  Anna,  who  lived  nearly  all 
her  days  in  the  Temple,  came  in  at  the  same 
time,  and  was  as  glad  as  Simeon  to  see  Jesus. 
She  thanked  God  that  He  had  come,  and  spoke 
of  Him  to  all.  her  friends  who  were  looking  for- 
ward to  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE  WISE   MEN 

IT  is  not  certain  how  long  Mary  and  Joseph 
stayed  in  Bethlehem,  but  most  likely  until 
Jesus  was  about  two  years  old.  While 
they  were  there,  three  Wise  Men  came  a  long 
way  from  the  East  to  see  Him. 

Far  away  from  Judaea  lived  people  who  were 
very  fond  of  watching  the  stars,  and  finding  out 


8  The  Story  of  Jesus 

all  they  could  about  them,  for  they  thought  that 
the  stars  had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  affairs 
of  men  on  the  earth. 

At  that  time  a  very  wonderful  star  was  shining 
that  they  had  never  seen  before,  so  these  Wise 
Men  felt  sure  that  a  new  king  had  been  born  in 
the  land  of  the  Jews. 

These  men  were  rich  and  great,  and  had  treas- 
ures of  gold  and  spices.  They  set  out  from  their 
own  country  with  their  camels  and  servants  to 
find  out  the  great  King  and  worship  Him. 

At  last  they  came  to  Jerusalem,  and  asked  the 
people  in  the  streets  about  the  new  King  of  the 
Jews.  The  whole  city  soon  heard  of  these  men 
who  looked  like  kings  from  a  far-off,  strange  land 
for  they  talked  of  a  star  that  they  had  seen  in 
their  own  country. 

But  no  one  knew  of  any  other  king  than 
Herod,  so  they  were  taken  to  the  palace.  When 
Herod  heard  of  them,  he  thought  of  the  Messiah 
that  was  to  be,  and  he  sent  for  the  chief  priests 
and  scribes,  and  asked  them  where  the  prophets 
had  said  that  Christ  the  Messiah  should  be  born  ? 
They  told  him,  "  In  Bethlehem." 

Herod  had  the  Wise  Men  brought  in,  and  told 
them  to  go  to  Bethlehem,  and  to  look  for  the 
young  Child.     When  they  had  found  Him,  they 


THE  STAR   IN   THE   EAST  GUIDES  THE   WISE   MEN   TO   BETHLEHEM 


The  Wise  Men  9 

were  to  bring  the  king  word,  that  he  might  go 
and  worship  Him,  so  he  said.  But  Herod  meant 
to  kill  this  baby  king  when  he  found  Him,  for 
he  was  very  jealous  of  his  power  and  his  throne. 

The  Wise  Men  came  to  Bethlehem,  and  when 
they  saw  the  star,  which  they  had  seen  in  their 
own  country,  shining  in  the  clear  sky  above 
them,  they  were  full  of  joy.  They  went  into  the 
house,  and  there  they  saw  the  Child  with  His 
mother  Mary,  and  they  bowed  down  to  worship 
Him.  It  made  no  difference  to  them  that  Mary 
and  Joseph  were  working  people,  and  that  the 
Child  was  like  other  children.  They  opened 
their  treasures,  and  got  out  a  king's  presents  for 
Jesus ;  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh,  very  pre- 
cious at  that  time. 

They  went  back  to  their  own  country  another 
way,  for  they  were  warned  in  a  dream  not  to  go 
back  to  Herod  with  their  news.  Herod  was 
very  angry  when  they  did  not  return  to  tell  him 
and  he  sent  an  order  to  Bethlehem  to  have  all 
the  children  under  two  years  old  killed,  in  the 
hope  that  the  Child  king  would  be  among  them. 
And  there  was  great  mourning  in  Bethlehem. 

But  Jesus  was  not  there.  Joseph  had  a  warn- 
ing in  a  dream  from  God.  "  Arise,  and  take  the 
young  Child,  and  Mary  His  mother,  and  go  into 


lo  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Egypt,  for  Herod  will  seek  the  young  Child,  to 
destroy  Him." 

So  Joseph  rose  and  saddled  the  ass,  and  put 
Mary  upon  it,  with  Jesus  in  her  arms,  and  they 
went  away  quietly  by  night,  down  into  Egypt. 
There  they  stayed  till  King  Herod  died,  and 
then  they  went  back  to  their  own  town  of  Naz- 
areth. 


CHAPTER   V 
THE  BOY  JESUS  AT  NAZARETH 

FOR  a  long  time  after  Mary  and  Joseph 
had  taken  Jesus  home  to  Nazareth,  noth- 
ing is  told  about  Him  in  the  Gospels. 
And  yet  that  is  the  time  that  the  children  would 
very  much  like  to  know  about : 

"  For  He  is  our  childhood's  pattern, 
Day  by  day  like  us  He  grew." 

But  though  the  Gospels  do  not  tell  us,  we  can 
find  out  a  good  deal  from  the  way  the  boys  and 
girls  grow  up  now  in  Nazareth.  Eastern  people 
live  in  the  same  way  now  that  they  did  when 
Jesus  was  a  boy. 


The  Boy  Jesus  at  Nazareth  1 1 

Nazareth  is  a  little  town  in  a  green  valley, 
with  hills  all  round.  Buttercups  and  daisies 
grow  among  the  grass  for  the  children  to  gather, 
and  lilies  and  anemones  and  many  other  flowers. 

Mary  and  Joseph  must  have  lived  in  a  house 
like  those  at  Nazareth  to-day, — a  white  house 
with  a  flat  roof,  with  a  vine  climbing  over  the 
wall,  and  a  fig-tree  or  some  olive-trees  near  by. 
The  little  Jesus  would  go  along  the  village  street 
with  His  mother,  when  Mary  went  with  her 
pitcher  on  her  shoulder  to  get  water  from  the  foun- 
tain. At  home,  Joseph  was  at  work  in  his  shop, 
making  ploughs  and  yokes  for  the  oxen,  and 
Jesus  might  play  among  the  shavings  on  the 
earthen  floor.  Or  He  would  be  with  the  chil- 
dren outside  in  their  bright  colored  tunics  having 
games  at  weddings  and  funerals. 

His  mother  Mary  and  Joseph  taught  Him  from 
the  Psalms,  and  the  books  of  the  law.  When 
He  was  old  enough,  He  would  be  sent  to  the 
synagogue  school,  where  the  boys  wrote  with 
sticks  in  the  sand  and  chanted  verses  after  the 
rabbi.  And  He  would  help  in  the  house,  and 
wait  upon  the  older  people,  while  Joseph  some- 
times gave  Him  little  tasks  to  do  at  his  carpenter's 
bench. 

Mary  and  Joseph  did  the  best  they  could  for 


12  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus,  for  they  remembered  the  wonderful  things 
told  them  about  Him  while  He  was  a  babe. 

Jesus  was  a  Child  among  children,  that  He 
might  learn  how  to  be  the  Friend  of  children. 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  VISIT  TO  JERUSALEM 

THE  Passover,  the  great  feast  of  the 
Jews,  was  held  every  year  in  the  spring. 
Then  every  one  who  was  able  went  up 
to  Jerusalem  to  take  part  in  the  services  of  the 
Temple.  When  Jesus  was  a  boy  of  twelve,  His 
parents  took  Him  with  them  to  the  feast.  How 
glad  He  must  have  been  while  He  watched  Mary 
weave  a  new  coat  for  Him  to  wear  in  the  days 
before  the  time  came.  One  bright  day  they  set 
out  with  all  the  others  who  were  going  up  from 
•Nazareth.  It  may  well  have  been  the  first  time 
Jesus  had  been  away  from  home  since  He  had 
been  brought  to  Nazareth  a  little  child. 

They  went  through  the  vineyards,  on  the  hill- 
sides and  the  green  fields  with  scarlet  and  purple 
flowers  among  the  grass,  through  fig  yards  and 
oUve-trees,  on  the  way  to  the  great  city.     People 


The  Visit  to  Jerusalem  13 

from  the  towns  and  villages  they  passed  joined 
them;  the  old  men  and  the  women  rode  on 
donkeys,  and  the  children  were  carried,  or  ran 
by  the  side  of  their  mothers.  When  they  came 
to  Jerusalem  it  was  a  great  company.  In  sight 
of  its  walls  and  towers,  and  the  golden  roof  of 
the  Temple  high  above  all,  they  shouted  and 
sang  for  joy ;  for  though  the  Romans  had  the 
power,  and  Roman  soldiers  and  governor  held 
the  city,  it  was  still  to  the  Jews  the  most  holy 
place  on  earth. 

There  was  not  room  for  all  the  people  inside 
the  walls ;  many  lived  in  booths,  made  of  mats 
or  branches  of  trees,  outside,  for  the  week  of  the 
feast.  All  day  long  the  courtyards  of  the  Tem- 
ple were  crowded  with  those  who  came  to  wor- 
ship and  offer  sacrifices.  In  the  street  friends 
met  with  friends. 

When  the  week  was  passed,  and  the  people 
from  the  country  were  all  going  home,  Jesus 
stayed  behind  in  the  city.  Mary  and  Joseph 
thought  that  He  was  with  friends,  and  did  not 
notice  that  He  was  left  behind  till  the  evening, 
when  they  stopped  to  rest  for  the  night.  They 
turned  back  inquiring  and  seeking  for  Him  all 
the  way,  full  of  sorrow.  They  feared  that  He 
might    have    been    trampled    to   death   in   the 


14  The  Story  of  Jesus 

crowded  city,  or  carried  away  by  wicked  men. 
It  was  three  days  before  they  found  Him. 

What  had  Jesus  been  doing  all  that  time? 
Where  had  He  slept  ?  What  had  He  to  eat  ?  We 
do  not  know.  At  last,  after  their  weary  search, 
Mary  and  Joseph  came  again  to  the  Temple. 
There  they  found  Him.  In  a  courtyard,  under 
the  portico  with  the  big  pillars,  among  the 
learned  men — the  doctors  and  rabbis,  as  they 
were  called — was  Jesus.  He  was  listening  while 
they  talked,  and  asking  them  questions.  The 
gray  learned  old  men  were  astonished  that  a 
young  country  boy  should  know  so  much.  Then 
Mary  said,  "  Son,  why  hast  Thou  thus  dealt  with 
us  ?  See,  Thy  father  and  I  have  sought  Thee 
sorrowing."  She  could  not  forget  her  grief,  even 
in  her  surprise  and  joy. 

But  Jesus  said,  "  How  is  it  that  ye  sought  Me  ? 
Did  ye  not  know  that  I  must  be  in  My  Father's 
house  ? "  He  was  thinking  of  His  Father  in 
heaven.  But  they  could  not  understand  what 
He  meant,  and  the  wise  old  men,  who  were  so 
astonished  at  His  knowledge,  never  thought  that 
the  Child  Messiah  had  been  among  them  that 
day. 

So  Jesus  went  home  again  to  Nazareth,  and 
was  obedient  to  His  parents.     And  as  He  grew 


How  Jesus  Was  Taught  15; 

a  man,  so  He  grew  in  learning  and  every  good 
thing,  so  that  all  who  knew  Him  loved  Him. 


CHAPTER  Vn 

HOW  JESUS  WAS  TAUGHT 

THERE  is  nothing  told  us  about  Jesus 
from  this  time,  till  He  went  about 
among  the  people  speaking  wonderful 
words  and  doing  wonderful  works  about  sixteen 
years  afterward.  But  since  He  came  to  show  what 
the  Father  in  heaven  was  like,  we  know  that  all 
those  years  He  was  doing  it  just  as  much  as  after- 
ward when  all  the  country  knew  about  the  great 
Teacher,  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  He  did  God's  will 
when  He  was  a  boy  by  being  humble  and  obedi- 
ent and  trying  to  learn,  and  being  happy  and 
kind  in  play.  That  teaches  the  boys  and  girls 
of  all  time  how  to  live.  It  was  the  same  when 
He  was  older,  so  that  every  one  can  follow  "  the 
blessed  footsteps  of  His  most  holy  life." 

When  a  Jewish  boy  became  twelve  years  old, 
he  had  taken  a  great  step  onward.  He  was  then 
called  a  "  Son  of  the  Law,"  and  taken  to  the  syn- 
agogue on  the  Sabbath  by  his   father,  wearing 


i6  The  Story  of  Jesus 

for  the  first  time  the  "  phylacteries  " — httle  boxes 
with  texts  from  the  law  inside — between  the 
eyes  and  on  the  wrists.  He  had  also  to  learn  a 
trade,  by  which  to  gain  his  own  living.  We 
know  what  trade  Jesus  learned,  for  He  was  after- 
ward called  "  the  Carpenter,"  in  scorn  and  won- 
der. It  seems  that  Joseph  must  have  died  while 
He  was  quite  young,  and  that  He  worked  for 
His  mother  Mary. 

But  while  He  worked  hard  with  His  hands. 
He  worked  with  His  mind.  He  could  write 
well,  and  read  the  Hebrew  holy  books.  Though 
He  generally  spoke  in  Aramaic,  the  speech  of 
the  Galileans,  He  knew  Greek  also,  and  perhaps 
a  little  Latin. 

He  had  not  been  in  the  schools  of  the  scribes, 
the  learned  men  of  Jerusalem,  and  so  they  were 
always  jealous  afterward  when  He  set  aside  their 
dry  and  dusty  old  books  and  learning,  and  gave 
the  people  lessons  from  the  liHes  and  the  spar- 
rows and  the  corn  and  the  sky. 

God  Himself  taught  Jesus,  and  in  the  mornings 
He  would  rise  very  early  and  go  away  into  a 
quiet  place  to  pray.  Then  it  was  that  He 
learned  more  than  ever  He  did  from  men. 

He  must  have  loved  to  go  to  the  hilltop  out- 
side Nazareth,  for  from  there  one  can  see  the 


John,  the  Forerunner  17 

country  away  to  the  blue  sea,  till  the  hills  and 
forest  shut  out  the  view. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
JOHN,  THE  FORERUNNER 

AND  John,  the  cousin  of  Jesus,  who  was 
about  His  age,  came  preaching.  His 
message  rang  out  through  the  country, 
"  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand."  The  people  had  great  need  to  repent, 
for  they  had  grown  very  bad.  Their  teachers, 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  were  worse  than  the 
others,  for  they  led  the  way  in  deceit  and  cheat- 
ing, instead  of  truth  and  honesty.  They  all 
knew  that  they  must  turn  from,  their  bad  ways 
to  be  ready  for  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah. 

John  would  not  come  to  the  towns.  He 
preached  at  Bethabara,  by  the  fords  of  the  river 
Jordan.  People  from  all  the  country  round,  and 
even  from  Jerusalem,  came  out  to  him  there. 
Men  had  never  known  such  a  wonderful 
preacher,  and  their  hearts  were  touched.  This 
wild  looking  man  with  hair  loose  on  his  shoul- 
ders, wearing  the  poor  countryman's  coarse 
tunic  of   camel's  hair,  who  lived  like  the  very 


l8  The  Story  of  Jesus 

poorest,  on  locusts  and  the  wild  honey  that  he 
could  find  for  himself  in  the  trunks  of  the  trees, 
and  among  the  rocks,  feared  no  one.  Rich  or 
poor,  high  or  low,  were  all  the  same  to  John. 
He  called  the  Pharisees  "  vipers,"  or  as  we  should 
say  "  snakes,"  and  told  them  that  unless  they  al- 
tered their  ways  they  should  be  destroyed  like 
useless  trees.     God  could  do  without  them. 

And  when  the  soldiers  said,  "  What  shall  we 
do  ?"  John  told  them  not  to  be  rough  and  cruel, 
and  to  be  content  with  their  wages.  He  told  the 
publicans,  the  tax-gatherers,  not  to  take  more 
money  from  the  people  for  the  taxes  than  they 
ought.  And  he  told  all  to  be  kind  and  help  one 
another.  "  Prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make 
His  paths  straight,"  he  preached. 

And  those  who  repented  were  baptized,  or 
dipped,  in  the  river  Jordan,  as  a  sign  that  they 
wanted  to  live  better,  and  to  be  clean  in  body 
and  soul. 

The  crowds  began  to  think  that  perhaps  John 
was  the  Messiah,  and  the  Council  sent  priests 
from  Jerusalem  to  ask  him.  But  John  told  them, 
No ;  a  mightier  One  than  he  was  coming.  "  I 
am  not  worthy,"  he  said,  "  to  stoop  down  and 
unloose  His  shoes.  He  is  standing  among  you, 
but  you  do  not  know  Him." 


Christ  Tempted  in  the  Wilderness     19 

Now  John  had  never  seen  Jesus,  but  a  Httle 
while  after,  as  he  stood  by  the  river,  Jesus  Him- 
self came  to  him  to  be  baptized.  John  knew 
Him  at  once,  and  did  not  want  to  baptize  Him, 
for  he  saw  that  He  was  already  sinless  and  holy. 
But  Jesus  said,  "  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now."  As 
they  came  up  out  of  the  water,  John  heard  a 
heavenly  voice  saying,  •'  This  is  My  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  And  at  the  same 
time,  a  Hght  like  a  dove  with  outspread  wings 
shone  over  Jesus.  So  John  gave  witness,  "  This 
is  the  Son  of  God." 


CHAPTER  IX 
CHRIST  TEMPTED  IN  THE  WILDERNESS 

AFTER  His  baptism  Jesus  went  away  by 
Himself  to  a  desert  place.  There  He 
stayed  for  forty  days,  thinking  and 
praying  about  the  great  work  He  had  to  do. 
There  was  nothing  to  eat,  except  the  wild  fruits, 
but  He  hardly  remembered  about  food.  The 
wild  beasts  came  round  Him,  but  even  in  the 
night  they  did  not  harm  Him,  for  wild  creatures 
will  often  be  quite  harmless  with  those  who  are 


20  The  Story  of  Jesus 

strong  and  gentle.  Jesus  had  power  over  the 
wild  creatures  as  He  had  over  men  afterward. 

The  days  went  by,  and  He  was  faint  and  hun- 
gry ;  then  the  Evil  One  came  to  tempt  Him. 
Stones  lay  on  the  ground,  much  the  shape  of 
round  loaves  of  bread.  Satan  whispered,  "  If 
Thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  command  that  these 
stones  be  made  bread."  That  would  be  an  easy 
way  for  the  Son  of  God  to  find  food.  But  Jesus 
lived  to  show  that  to  please  God  His  children 
must  not  think  first  of  their  own  comfort  and 
ease.  If  we  are  true  to  the  Father  in  heaven, 
He  will  take  care  of  us.  So  He  said,"  It  is  writ- 
ten, Man  does  not  live  by  bread  only,  but  by 
the  words  of  God." 

Again  Satan  came.  In  a  vision  Jesus  seemed 
to  be  on  one  of  the  Temple  towers  at  Jerusalem  ; 
and  the  Evil  One  told  Him  to  throw  Himself 
down  from  the  roof,  for  if  He  was  God's  Son  the 
angels  would  fly  to  hold  Him  up  with  their 
hands.  Every  one  would  then  believe  Him  to 
be  Messiah,  without  any  trouble  of  preaching 
and  persuading  people.  It  would  be  so  easy  a 
way. 

But  Jesus  said,  "  It  is  written.  Thou  shalt  not 
try  the  Lord  thy  God." 

Then  Satan  showed  Him  all  the  kingdoms  of 


The  First  Followers  of  Jesus         21 

the  earth,  and  their  glory  and  power,  and  prom- 
ised all  to  Him,  if  He  would  worship  him.  Jesus 
answered,  "  Get  thee  hence,  Satan ;  thou  shalt 
worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt 
thou  serve." 

So  the  wicked  one  found  he  was  beaten,  and 
went  away  for  a  time.  And  God's  angels  came 
to  wait  upon  the  tired  Jesus. 

These  temptations  are  hard  to  understand; 
they  show  how  very  real  and  present  the  power 
of  the  Evil  One  is.  But  Jesus  had  the  hardest 
fight,  and  He  conquered.  He  still  helps  those 
who  love  Him  to  conquer  too. 


CHAPTER   X 
THE  FIRST  FOLLOWERS  OF  JESUS 

JESUS  came  back  to  the  fords  of  the  Jordan, 
where  John  was  preaching.  And  John  no- 
ticed Him  walking  by.  Looking  after 
Him,  he  said  to  the  people,  "  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  !  " 
He  thought  of  the  lamb  of  sacrifice  offered  daily 
on  the  altar  for  the  sin  of  his  own  people  the 
Jews,  and  it  had  been  shown  him  that  Christ  was 
come  for  the  whole  world. 


22  The  Story  of  Jesus 

The  next  day  Jesus  passed  again,  and  John 
said  again,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God !  " 

Two  young  men  standing  by  heard  his  words. 
They  were  fishermen  from  Galilee,  and  disciples 
of  John.  One  was  named  Andrew,  and  the 
other  was  John,  who  tells  the  story. 

They  followed  Jesus,  to  find  out  who  He  was. 
Turning  to  them  He  said  kindly,  "  What  seek 
ye?" 

And  they  said, "  Master,  where  abidest  Thou  ?  " 

"  Come  and  see,"  said  Jesus. 

It  was  about  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  they 
went  with  Him  to  the  place  where  He  was  stay- 
ing, and  were  with  Him  all  the  evening.  He  told 
them  many  things,  and  they  listened  with  joy, 
and  believed  that  they  had  found  the  Messiah. 

It  was  great  faith  on  their  part,  for  Jesus  had 
no  better  dress  than  a  working  man's,  and  no 
one  besides  John  had  spoken  of  Him  to  them. 
How  wonderful  must  have  been  the  words  and 
ways  of  Jesus  ! 

The  first  thing  Andrew  did  was  to  find  his 
brother  Simon,  who  was  a  fisherman  too.  "  We 
have  found  the  Messiah,"  he  said,  and  he  brought 
him  to  Jesus. 

And  Jesus  said  to  him,  •'  Thou  art  Simon ; 
thou  shalt  be  called  Peter,"  which  means  "  rock," 


The  First  Followers  of  Jesus        23 

because  He  saw  that  he  was  firm  and  brave. 
From  that  time  Peter  was  one  of  His  best  friends. 

The  next  day  Jesus  with  Peter  and  Andrew 
and  John  started  to  walk  to  Gahlee.  On  their 
way  they  met  a  man  named  Philip.  He  be- 
longed to  Bethsaida,  the  town  of  Andrew  and 
Peter  and  he  knew  them  very  well.  Jesus  said 
to  him,  "  Follow  Me."  Philip  went  to  find  his 
friend  Nathaniel,  and  told  him,  "  We  have  found 
the  Messiah  whom  Moses  and  the  prophets 
wrote  about.  He  is  called  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
Joseph's  son." 

And  Nathaniel  wondered.  "  Can  anything  good 
come  out  of  Nazareth  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Come  and 
see,"  said  Philip,  and  brought  him  to  Jesus. 
When  He  saw  him  He  said  that  he  was  a  true 
man.  Nathaniel  was  surprised.  "  Whence  know- 
est  Thou  me?"  he  asked.  He  answered,  "  Be- 
fore Philip  called  thee,  when  thou  wast  under 
the  fig-tree,  I  saw  thee." 

Nathaniel  saw  that  Jesus  knew  more  than  any 
man,  or  He  could  not  have  told  of  his  secret 
place,  and  he  said,  "  Master,  Thou  art  the  Son  of 
God ;  Thou  art  the  King  of  Israel." 


^4  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XI 
THE  WEDDING  AT  CANA 

WHEN  Jesus  and  His  five  friends  had 
come  back  into  Galilee,  they  were 
invited  to  a  wedding  at  Cana,  a  small 
town  near  Nazareth. 

It  is  the  way  in  the  East  to  fetch  the  bride 
from  her  father's  house  in  the  evening.  She  is 
covered  with  shawls  and  a  long  veil,  so  that  no 
one  can  see  what  she  is  like.  The  bridegroom 
and  his  friends  come  to  meet  her,  and  the  friends 
and  relations  go  in  a  long  procession  through 
the  streets  to  the  bridegroom's  house,  singing 
and  shouting  for  joy.  The  bridesmaids  light  the 
way,  holding  up  their  lamps.  Then  there  is  a 
great  feast  in  the  bridegroom's  house,  which 
sometimes  lasts  several  days. 

At  this  wedding  at  Cana  the  people  were  not 
rich,  and  it  meant  a  good  deal  of  difference  to 
invite  five  fresh  guests,  the  friends  that  Jesus 
had  brought.  So,  after  a  while,  Mary,  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  who  was  waiting  on  the  guests, 
came  to   Him  and  said  quietly,  •'  They  have  no 


The  Wedding  at  Cana  25 

wine."  This  would  be  a  disgrace  for  the  master 
of  the  house,  if  it  were  known,  and  Mary  thought 
that  He  would  be  sorry,  and  would  do  something 
to  supply  it.  Perhaps,  also,  she  wanted  Him  to 
show  how  great  He  really  was,  that  she  might 
be  proud  of  Him. 

Jesus  knew  about  it  all — what  had  happened, 
and  what  she  was  thinking — but  He  said  to  her, 
"  My  hour  is  not  yet  come." 

And  Mary  went  to  the  servants  and  told  them, 
••  Whatsoever  He  saith  unto  you,  do  it,"  for  she 
felt  sure  that  Jesus  would  help  them. 

Standing  in  the  room  were  six  large  water- 
pots  of  stone.  Jesus  said  to  the  servants,  "  Fill 
the  water-pots  with  water."  And  they  made 
them  quite  full.  "  Draw  out  now,  and  bear  unto 
the  ruler  of  the  feast,"  He  said.  The  ruler  was 
one  of  the  chief  men  of  the  place,  and  usually  a 
friend  of  the  bridegroom,  who  was  chosen  to  be 
master  while  the  feast  lasted.  The  servants 
wondered,  but  they  obeyed  Jesus,  and  carried 
the  water  from  the  water-pots  to  the  ruler.  When 
he  tasted  it,  he  found  that  it  was  much  better  wine 
than  they  had  had  before.  He  called  the  bride- 
groom, and  said  to  him,  "  Every  man  at  first  set- 
teth  forth  the  good  wine ;  and  when  they  have 
well  drunk,  then  the  worst ;  thou  hast  kept  the 


26  The  Story  of  Jesus 

good  wine  till  now."  So  the  bridegroom  was 
not  made  ashamed  before  his  guests,  and  every- 
one was  happy.  Jesus  always  made  people  hap- 
pier when  He  was  there.  His  friends  believed 
on  Him  more  than  before,  for  they  all  soon 
heard  what  had  happened,  and  His  mother  Mary 
was  glad. 

The  Gospel  calls  this  the  "  beginning  of  signs." 


CHAPTER  Xn 

GALILEE 
"  The  people  sitting  in  darkness  saw  a  great  light." 

JESUS  went  from  Cana  to  Capernaum  with 
His  mother  Mary,  and  His  disciples. 
Capernaum  was  a  busy  town  by  the  Sea 
of  Galilee ;  a  very  different  place  from  Nazareth, 
away  among  the  hills.  Galilee  is  the  most  beau- 
tiful part  of  the  country.  The  towns  have  been 
thrown  down  long  ago,  and  only  a  few  very  poor 
people  live  in  the  ruins  that  are  here  and  there 
round  the  sea  now.  Though  it  is  generally 
called  a  sea,  the  water  is  fresh  and  clear,  and  its 
other  name  is  the  Lake  of  Gennesareth.  By  the 
calm  blue  water  the  flowers  are  bright  in  the 
grass,  and  the  palm  and  the  fig-tree,  the  walnut 


Galilee  27 

and  the  olive  grow  just  as  they  did  when  Jesus 
walked  on  the  shore. 

At  that  time,  Galilee  might  well  be  called,"  by 
the  way  of  the  sea,  Galilee  of  the  Nations."  In 
the  streets  of  the  towns  met  together  Jews, 
Greeks,  and  Romans,  who  came  for  trade,  or  for 
pleasure.  There  were  soldiers  and  fishermen, 
merchants  and  craftsmen.  Ships  and  fishing 
boats  sailed  or  were  rowed  on  the  lake. 

Now,  all  is  silent  and  desolate ;  there  is  hardly 
a  boat  on  the  lake,  or  laborer  in  the  fields.  Only 
a  few  fishermen  fish  in  the  clear  water  where 
once  Peter  and  John  cast  their  nets !  Man's 
work  has  fallen  into  ruin.  The  sea  and  the 
shore  have  outlasted  it  all. 

Jesus  began  His  ministry,  that  is,  His  work 
and  teaching,  while  He  was  living  in  Capernaum. 
At  first.  He  preached  like  John  the  Baptist,  His 
forerunner,  "  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  at  hand." 

On  the  Sabbath  days  He  went  to  worship  in 
the  synagogue,  which  had  been  built  and  given 
to  the  people  by  a  Roman  centurion  who  lived 
there.  On  the  other  days,  He  spoke  to  the  peo- 
ple whom  He  met  in  the  streets  or  on  the  shore. 
And  His  friends  were  with  Him. 


28  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  TEMPLE 

THE  Temple  at  Jerusalem  that  Jesus 
knew  was  built  by  King  Herod.  It 
was  not  so  large  as  Solomon's  great 
Temple,  but  Herod,  to  please  the  Jews,  had  made 
it  as  beautiful  as  possible.  It  had  marble  pillars, 
and  a  golden  vine  was  over  the  doorway.  In- 
side, the  walls  were  set  with  precious  stones.  A 
great  curtain  of  many-colored  needlework  hung 
between  the  Holy  Place  and  the  Holy  of  Holies, 
where  once  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  with  its 
golden  angels  had  stood. 

The  Temple  stood  on  Mount  Moriah.  From  a 
long  distance  the  Beautiful  Gate,  looking  over 
the  valley  of  the  Kidron,  shone  like  gold  in  the 
sun. 

The  people  worshiped  in  the  great  courts,  for 
only  the  priests  might  enter  the  Temple  itself. 
The  outer  court  was  called  the  Court  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, or  foreigners,  and  there  cattle,  lambs,  and 
doves  were  sold  for  sacrifice,  and  the  bankers 
and  money-changers  had  their  tables,  to  change 


The  Temple  29 

foreign  money  into  Jewish  coins.  Every  one 
could  see  the  priests  oifering  the  sacrifices  in  the 
inner  court,  for  it  stood  higher  than  the  others, 
with  steps  up  to  it.  Tlie  Temple  stood  higlier 
still.- 

At  the  sides  of  the  courts  were  porches  held 
up  by  great  pillars.  Here  the  rabbis  sat  and 
taught,  while  near  by,  the  high  priest  had  his 
council.  These  wise  men,  especially  some  of 
them  called  scribes,  said  that  they  taught  the 
law  of  Moses,  but  at  this  time  they  had  added  so 
many  rules  and  opinions  of  their  own  that  the 
common  people  had  quite  given  up  trying  to 
obey  them.  But  all  the  people  still  dearly  loved 
the  Temple  and  its  courts,  and  many  who  lived  in 
Jerusalem  went  there  several  times  every  day  to 
worship. 

Here  Jesus  and  His  disciples  came  up  from 
Galilee  to  the  Feast  of  the  Passover.  They  came 
into  the  Court  of  the  Gentiles.  A  noisy  crowd 
was  pushing  and  quarreling  together.  They 
heard  the  lowing  of  oxen,  and  the  bleating  of 
frightened  sheep  and  lambs,  and  the  chinking  of 
money  on  the  tables.  Instead  of  being  quiet 
and  still  for  worship,  the  place  was  like  a  market, 
Jesus  was  angry  when  He  saw  it.  He  stooped 
for  some  of  the  rushes  on  the  ground,  and  made 


30  The  Story  of  Jesus 

a  whip.  With  it  He  drove  the  traders  and  the 
animals  out  of  the  Temple.  He  upset  the 
money  tables,  and  said  to  those  who  sold  doves, 
"Take  these  things  hence:  make  not  My  Fa- 
ther's house  a  house  of  merchandise." 

This  was  the  first  time  that  Jesus  had  shown 
His  power  over  men  in  Jerusalem.  The  rulers 
and  the  priests  were  surprised.  Jesus  looked  like 
a  Galilean  working  man,  and  they  wondered  that 
He  should  be  so  bold.  So  they  came  to  Him  in 
the  Temple  court  to  ask  Him  to  give  them  a  sign 
that  He  had  a  right  to  do  such  things. 

Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Destroy  this  Temple,  and 
in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up."  And  they  said 
that  the  Temple  had  taken  forty-six  years  to 
build :  how  could  He  raise  it  in  three  days  ?  for 
they  would  not  trouble  to  find  out  what  Jesus 
really  meant.  It  was  not  till  He  had  risen 
again,  that  His  disciples  understood  either. 
Then  they  remembered  what  He  said.  The 
Temple  meant  the  house  not  made  with  hands, 
the  body.  Jesus  was  to  make  the  body  holier 
than  the  Temple  of  stone  with  its  gold  and  pre- 
cious stones,  for  He  had  a  human  body  like 
others,  and  it  became  a  glorious  one  by  the  res- 
urrection. 

Many  people  who  had  come  to  Jerusalem  for 


JESUS   DRIVES  THE   MONEY-CHANGERS   FROM   THE  TEMPLE 


The  Ruler  of  Jerusalem  31 

the  feast  believed  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  be- 
cause of  what  He  had  done,  but  He  could  not 
trust  them  for  He  saw  that  their  hearts  were  set 
on  an  earthly  kingdom. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  RULER  OF  JERUSALEM 

ONE  evening,  when  it  was  quite  dark,  an 
old  man  came  quietly  to  speak  to 
Jesus.  This  was  Nicodemus,  a  rich 
ruler,  one  of  the  Council,  and  a  Pharisee.  He 
was  afraid  to  come  by  day,  lest  all  the  people 
should  think  he  wanted  to  be  a  disciple  of  Jesus. 
He  may  have  found  Him  outside  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  under  an  olive-tree,  or  in  one  of  the 
arbors  made  of  boughs  for  the  feast  time. 

Nicodemus  wanted  to  know  how  to  be  a  better 
man  :  he  did  not  say  so,  but  Jesus  knew.  He 
began,  "  Rabbi,  we  know  that  Thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God ;  for  no  man  can  do  these  signs 
that  Thou  doest,  except  God  be  with  him." 

And  Jesus  answered  his  thoughts.  He  often 
did  that  when  He  spoke  to  people.  "  Except  a 
man  be  born  from  above  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  He  said.     When  Nicodemus 


32  The  Story  of  Jesus 

asked  what  He  meant,  He  said  that  it  was  to  be 
clean  and  to  be  ruled  by  God's  spirit.  And  so 
they  talked  together,  the  old  ruler  and  the  young 
rabbi,  while  the  night  grew  dark,  and  the  wind 
rustled  in  the  trees.  Nicodemus  was  a  teacher 
of  the  people,  but  he  learned  of  Jesus  many 
things  that  he  did  not  know  before.  He  never 
forgot  them,  though  he  did  not  go  with  Him 
openly  as  His  disciple.  Afterward  he  spoke 
for  right  in  the  Council,  and  when  Jesus  was 
crucified,  Nicodemus  brought  sweet  spices  for 
His  burial. 


CHAPTER  XV 
THE  WOMAN  OF  SAMARIA 

JESUS  had  to  pass  through  the  land  of 
Samaria  on  His  way  back  to  Galilee. 
Now  the  Jews  hated  the  Samaritans,  and 
despised  them  even  more  than  foreigners  and 
strangers,  because  they  also  claimed  to  be  the 
children  of  Jacob,  and  they  had  built  another 
temple  on  Mount  Gerizim.  Jesus  knew  these 
things  well,  but  to  Him  they  did  not  matter. 
It  was  noonday  and  very  hot  when  they  came 


The  Woman  of  Samaria  33 

to  the  city  of  Sycliar,  and  the  disciples  went  to 
buy  food.  But  He  was  so  weary  tliat  He  stayed 
to  rest,  sitting  upon  the  well  outside  the  city. 
This  well  was  a  very  old  one,  and  the  Samaritans 
were  proud  of  it  because  Jacob  had  given  it  with 
the  ground  round  to  his  favorite  son  Joseph, 
hundreds  of  years  before. 

Presently  a  woman  came  to  draw  water,  with 
her  water-pot  on  her  shoulder.  She  had  come 
at  noonday,  instead  of  in  the  evening,  when  most 
of  the  women  drew  water,  so  that  she  would  not 
be  likely  to  meet  any  one,  for  she  was  an  unhappy 
woman  who  had  led  a  bad  life.  Jesus  asked  her 
for  water.  "  Give  Me  to  drink,"  He  said.  She 
was  surprised  that  a  Jew  should  speak  to  her, 
and  that  kindly,  and  said  at  once,  "  How  dost 
Thou,  being  a  Jew,  ask  drink  of  me,  a  Samar- 
itan woman  ?  The  Jews  have  no  dealings  with 
the  Samaritans." 

Then  Jesus  said,  "  If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of 
God  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give  Me  to 
drink,  thou  wouldest  have  asked  of  Him,  and 
He  would  have  given  thee  living  water."  She 
said,  "  Sir,  Thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with,  and 
the  well  is  deep ;  from  whence  then  hast  Thou 
living  water  ?  "  Jesus  told  her  that  those  who 
drank  of  the  water  of  the  well  would  be  thirsty 


34  The  Story  of  Jesus 

again,  but  the  water  that  He  would  give  would 
satisfy  forever, 

"  Sir,  give  me  this  water,  that  I  thirst  not, 
neither  come  all  the  way  hither  to  draw,"  said 
the  woman,  but  the  next  words  of  Jesus  brought 
her  bad  life  to  her  mind,  and  made  her  feel  that 
He  knew  about  it  too,  and  she  went  on,  "  Sir,  I 
see  that  Thou  art  a  prophet.  ...  I  know 
that  Messiah  cometh ;  ...  He  will  tell  us 
all  things." 

Jesus  said  to  her,  "  I  that  speak  to  thee  am 
He." 

This  was  the  first  time  that  He  had  ever  spoken 
so  plainly  of  Himself  as  Messiah,  and  the  one  He 
told  was  a  poor  ignorant  Samaritan  woman. 

When  the  others  came  back,  they  wondered 
that  He  should  talk  with  a  woman,  but  they  did 
not  like  to  ask  Him  about  it.  They  knew  that 
the  rabbis  would  hardly  speak  to  women  at  all, 
but  Jesus  was  different  from  any  rabbi  they  had 
ever  known. 

And  the  woman  forgot  her  water-pot,  and  ran 
back  to  the  city.  She  said  to  the  men  in  the 
streets,  "  Come,  see  a  man  who  told  me  all  things 
that  ever  I  did ;  is  this  the  Christ  ?  " 

And  they  went  out  to  find  Jesus,  surprised 
and  wondering.     He  was  weary  and  hungry,  but 


Jesus  Rejected  at  Nazareth  35 

He  could  hardly  eat  when  the  disciples  brought 
food,  and  begged  Him,  "  Master,  eat,"  for  He 
said,  "  I  have  food  to  eat  that  ye  know  not  of. 
.  .  .  My  food  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that 
sent  Me,  and  to  finish  His  work."  As  He  looked 
at  the  people  coming  from  the  city  He  said  that 
they  were  like  corn,  ready  to  be  reaped  at 
harvest.  "  Pray  ye  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  for 
laborers,"  He  told  them. 

The  Samaritans  asked  Him  to  stay  with  them  ; 
and  He  stayed  two  days  in  their  city.  Some  of 
them  believed  Him  because  the  woman  had  said, 
"  He  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did,"  but  more 
because  of  His  own  words,  and  they  told  her, 
"  We  have  heard  Him  ourselves,  and  believe  that 
this  is  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the 
world." 


CHAPTER  XVI 
JESUS  REJECTED  AT  NAZARETH 

JESUS  went  back  into  Galilee  "  in  the  power 
of  the  Spirit."     The  people  crowded  to  hear 
Him  when  He  taught  in  the  synagogues, 
and  thanked  God  for  the  wonderful  teacher. 
And  He  came  to  Nazareth,  where  He  had  lived 


36  The  Story  of  Jesus 

so  long.  On  the  Sabbath  day  He  went  into  the 
synagogue.  The  ruler  of  the  synagogue  might 
ask  any  one  whom  he  thought  able  to  read  the 
portions  from  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  it 
had  been  the  custom  of  Jesus  to  take  this  part. 
When  He  stood  up  to  read,  the  minister  took 
the  roll  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah  from  the  chest 
where  all  the  books  were  kept,  and  handed  it  to 
Him. 

The  people  watched  Him,  for  they  had  all 
heard  of  the  power  of  His  preaching  in  other 
places,  and  they  wanted  to  see  what  He  would 
do  in  the  place  where  He  had  grown  up.  They 
whispered  to  one  another,  "  Is  not  this  the  car- 
penter, the  son  of  Mary  ?  What  wisdom  is  this 
which  is  given  unto  Him?"  And  they  were 
very  jealous.  Jesus  found  the  lesson  for  the  day 
and  read  it.  It  was  where  Isaiah  speaks  of  the 
Messiah  and  His  work : — how  He  would  preach 
the  good  tidings  to  the  poor,  and  heal  the 
broken-hearted,  and  give  liberty  to  the  captive. 
Then  He  rolled  up  the  book  and  gave  it  back. 
He  sat  down  and  began  to  tell  them  how  all  this 
was  happening  at  that  very  time,  but  that 
strangers  would  sooner  believe  in  Him  than  His 
own  people. 

As  He  spoke  they  grew  more  and  more  angry 


Jesus  at  Cana  and  Capernaum       37 

that  Jesus,  "  Joseph's  son,"  should  dare  to  speak 
so  to  them.  Suddenly  they  rushed  upon  Him. 
They  dragged  Him  out  of  the  synagogue,  and 
up  the  hill,  meaning  to  throw  Him  down  from 
the  top. 

But  they  could  not  do  it.  Jesus  turned,  and 
there  was  something  in  His  look  that  made  their 
fierce  hearts  fear  and  wonder,  and  their  hands 
fell  from  Him.  So  Hejpassed  through  the  crowd, 
and  went  on  His  way.  Before  He  left  Nazareth 
He  laid  His  hands  on  some  sick  people  and  healed 
them.  But  He  never  came  back  to  Nazareth 
again.  His  own  people  had  driven  away  their 
true  Messiah. 


CHAPTER  XVn 
JESUS  AT  CANA  AND  CAPERNAUM 

JESUS  went  from  Nazareth  to  Cana.  The 
people  welcomed  Him,  for  they  remembered 
how  good  He  had  been  at  the  wedding 
feast.  While  He  was  there,  a  nobleman  came 
from  Capernaum  to  see  Him.  His  son  was  very 
sick,  and  he  begged  Jesus  to  come  and  cure  him. 
Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Unless  ye  see  signs  and 
wonders  ye  do  not  believe."     He  saw  that  the 


38  The  Story  of  Jesus 

nobleman  had  no  thought  of  Him  as  Messiah, 
but  only  as  a  great  doctor  who  could  make 
wonderful  cures.  But  when  he  asked  again, 
"  Sir,  come  down  before  my  child  is  dead," 
Jesus  said,  "  Go  thy  way  ;  thy  son  Uveth."  The 
father  believed  His  word.  He  was  so  sure  that 
his  son  was  better,  that  he  did  not  go  home  till 
the  next  day.  On  the  way,  his  servants  came  to 
meet  him  and  tell  him,  '•  Thy  son  liveth." 

He  asked  them  when  he  began  to  get  better, 
and  found  that  it  was  the  very  time  when  he  had 
been  talking  with  Jesus,  Then  he  and  his  family 
believed  on  Him  as  Messiah. 

The  town  and  the  country  round  soon  heard 
what  had  happened,  and  they  received  Jesus  with 
joy  when  He  came  to  Hve  in  Capernaum.  It 
seems  that  Mary  and  her  other  sons  came  with 
Him.  Perhaps  they  had  a  house  of  their  own, 
but  we  read  of  Jesus  being  mostly  in  the  house 
of  Peter  when  He  was  in  the  town. 

Every  Sabbath  He  went  into  the  synagogue, 
and  taught  the  people.  Luke  writes  that  "  they 
were  astonished  at  His  teaching,  for  His  word 
was  with  power." 

In  the  Gospel  of  Mark  there  is  an  account  of 
the  first  Sabbath  Jesus  spent  in  Capernaum.  In 
the    morning    He  went  to  the  synagogue,  and 


Jesus  at  Cana  and  Capernaum       39 

taught  the  people,  perhaps  out  of  the  books  of 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  which  were  read  every 
Sabbath.  But  the  lessons  that  He  found  in  these 
old  books  were  different  from  any  that  the  scribes 
and  rulers  had  ever  taught,  and  the  people 
listened  and  wondered  at  the  young  rabbi. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  great  noise  in  the  quiet 
place,  and  a  poor  madman  cried  out  against 
Him.  This  man  every  one  thought  had  a  bad 
spirit.  He  himself  knew  he  was  not  fit  to  be  near 
Jesus,  so  he  called  out  to  Him  to  let  him  alone 
and  not  to  trouble  him.  Jesus  spoke  sternly,  and 
bade  the  evil  spirit  come  out  of  the  man,  who 
threw  himself  about,  and  then  became  quite  still. 
He  was  cured. 

When  the  people  went  out  they  carried  the 
news  all  about.  But  Jesus  went  to  the  house  of 
Peter  and  Andrew.  The  mother  of  Peter's  wife 
was  lying  sick  of  fever,  and  they  soon  told  Him 
of  her.  He  went  to  her  bedside,  and  taking  her 
by  the  hand.  He  lifted  her  up.  Soon  she  was 
walking  about,  and  waiting  on  them  all,  for  she 
was  quite  well  of  the  fever. 

When  the  sun  set,  the  Sabbath  was  over,  and 
then  through  the  streets,  followed  by  crowds, 
the  sick  people  came  to  Jesus.  Some  were 
brought  by  their  friends,  too  ill  to  walk.     They 


40  The  Story  of  Jesus 

gathered  round  the  door.  It  seemed  as  if  all  the 
town  was  there,  Jesus  came  out  and  looked  at 
them  full  of  pity.  He  put  His  hands  on  them, 
and  they  were  cured.  There  was  joy  that  even- 
ing in  Capernaum.  How  tired  Jesus  was  !  It 
cost  Him  a  great  deal  to  help  people  in  the  way 
He  did.  Yet  that  night  He  would  not  sleep 
long. 

Before  it  was  light  He  got  up  and  went  away 
by  Himself  to  a  quiet  place  outside  the  town  to 
pray.  There  Peter  and  the  others  found  Him. 
They  told  Him  how  all  the  people  were  looking 
for  Him,  and  He  said,  "  Let  us  go  into  the  neigh- 
boring towns  that  I  may  preach  there  too." 

So  they  went  about,  and  Jesus  taught  in  the 
synagogues  and  preached  about  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

One  day  there  came  to  Him  a  poor  leper.  He 
had  the  most  dreadful  disease  ever  known.  A 
leper  was  obliged  to  live  outside  the  towns,  away 
from  all  his  friends.  If  any  one  came  near,  he 
had  to  call  out,  "  Unclean,  unclean,"  and  to  cover 
his  face.  And  then  the  passer-by  would  make 
haste  away,  for  fear  of  catching  his  disease. 
Jesus  was  not  afraid  of  the  poor  man,  as  he  knelt 
at  His  feet,  and  prayed  Him  to  help  him. 

"  Lord,  if  Thou    wilt.  Thou   canst  make  me 


The  Fishermen  41 

clean,"  he  said.  Jesus  had  such  great  pity  for 
him  that  He  put  out  His  hand,  and  touched  him, 
and  said,  "  I  will :  be  clean,"  And  directly  he 
was  cured.  Then  Jesus  told  him  not  to  tell  any 
one  about  it,  but  to  go  and  show  himself  to  the 
priest,  and  to  take  an  offering  as  the  law  of 
Moses  ordered. 

But  the  man  told  as  he  went  of  the  wonderful 
cure,  and  Jesus  had  to  stay  outside  the  town,  be- 
cause He  had  touched  a  leper.  The  people  came 
to  Him  there. 


CHAPTER  XVin 

THE  FISHERMEN 

ONE  morning  Jesus  was  walking  by  the 
sea,  and  the  people  came  up  to  listen 
as  He  talked.  Crowds  followed  Him 
wherever  He  went,  for  they  were  hungry  for  the 
wonderful  words  that  He  spoke,  and  now  they 
pressed  so  close  that  there  was  hardly  room  to 
move. 

Two  boats  were  drawn  up  on  the  shore,  for 
Peter,  Andrew,  James  and  John  had  been 
fishing   all  night,  and  they  were  washing  their 


42  The  Story  of  Jesus 

nets  on  the  sand.  Jesus  got  into  Peter's  boat, 
and  asked  him  to  push  out  a  httle  from  the  land. 
Then  He  sat  down  and  spoke  to  the  people  from 
the  boat.  The  sun  shone  down  on  the  water 
and  the  trees,  and  as  He  spoke  He  could  see  the 
sower  in  the  fields,  and  the  ravens  looking  for 
their  food,  and  even  the  flowers  in  the  grass. 
And  the  people  stood  on  the  shore  and  listened 
just  as  they  came  from  their  shops  and  their 
work. 

When  Jesus  left  off  speaking,  He  said  to  Peter, 
"  Launch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your 
nets  for  a  draught." 

Peter  answered,  "  Master,  we  have  toiled  all 
night  and  have  taken  nothing,  but  at  Thy  word 
I  will  let  down  the  net." 

When  they  had  done  it,  the  net  was  filled  with 
so  many  fishes  that  it  broke.  They  beckoned  to 
James  and  John  to  come  and  help  them,  and 
filled  both  the  boats  with  the  fish.  The  boats 
were  almost  sinking  with  the  load. 

Peter  was  filled  with  wonder  and  fear,  for  he 
knew  that  the  Lord  of  life  must  be  there  for 
such  a  thing  to  have  happened,  and  he  felt  how 
unworthy  he  was  to  be  near  the  Holy  One.  He 
knelt  down  before  Jesus  and  cried  out,  "  Depart 
from  me  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  oh,  Lord." 


Four  Good  Friends  43 

And  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Fear  not ;  from  hence- 
forth thou  Shalt  catch  men."  For  Peter,  the  fish- 
erman, was  now  to  be  His  disciple,  and  was  to 
lead  others  to  Him. 

So  when  they  had  brought  their  boats  to  land 
Peter  and  Andrew  left  them  there,  and  all  that 
they  had,  to  go  with  Him.  James  and  John, 
who  were  richer,  had  servants  to  help  them,  be- 
sides their  old  father  Zebedee,  and  they,  too,  left 
all  at  the  call  of  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
FOUR  GOOD  FRIENDS 

JESUS  came  back  to  the  house  in  Capernaum, 
where  He  stayed,  and  a  crowd  came  again 
to  hear  Him. 
Eastern  houses  are  many  of  them  built  round 
a  courtyard,  which  is  generally  left  open  to  the 
sky,  but  sometimes  covered  over  with  boards  or 
matting.  Here  He  was  sitting,  and  some  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  who  had  come  in  with  the  others, 
were  watching  Him  jealously  as  He  taught. 

Not  far  off  lived  a  poor  man  who  was  para- 
lyzed ;  he  could  not  walk  about,  and  could  not 


44  The  Story  of  Jesus 

move  himself.  But  he  had  four  kind  friends, 
and  when  they  heard  that  Jesus  was  come  back 
they  determined  to  take  the  sick  man  to  Him  to 
be  cured.  So  they  carried  him  on  his  bed,  for 
it  was  only  a  mat  that  could  easily  be  lifted, 
along  to  the  house.  But  so  many  were  pressing 
round  the  door  that  they  could  not  get  inside. 
What  could  they  do  ?  They  found  a  way  by 
carrying  him  up  the  steps  outside  the  wall  to  the 
roof,  and  then  they  took  away  the  covering,  and 
let  him  down  just  in  front  of  Jesus. 

He  did  not  mind,  for  He  was  pleased  with  their 
kindness  and  the  trust  they  had  in  Him. 

He  looked  at  the  sick  man,  and  saw  in  his  heart 
that  his  worst  disease  was  sin,  and  that  he  was 
sorry,  and  needed  help  very  much.  So  He  said 
first  of  all,  "  Child,  be  of  good  cheer.  Thy  sins 
are  forgiven  thee." 

And  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  thought, "  This 
man  blasphemes ;  who  can  forgive  sins  but  God 
alone  ?  " 

Jesus  knew  their  thoughts,  and  saw  their  angry 
looks.  He  turned  to  them,  and  asked,  which  it 
was  easier  to  say,  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven,  or  to 
say,  Rise  up  and  walk  "  ? 

Any  one  could  say,  "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven," 
for  it  would  not  be  possible  to  tell  whether  the 


Four  Good  Friends  45 

words  were  true,  but  it  would  be  easy  to  see 
whether  the  poor  man  who  could  not  walk  was 
cured,  and  he  could  not  be  cured  without  the 
power  of  God. 

So  He  said  to  the  sick  man,  "  Arise,  take  up 
thy  bed,  and  go  to  thy  house." 

At  His  word,  the  sick  man  stood  up.  He 
stooped  for  his  mat,  and  rolled  it  up,  and  then 
went  to  his  home.  He  was  strong  and  happy 
once  more.  The  people  praised  God.  "  VVe 
have  seen  wonderful  things  to-day,"  they  said. 

The  four  good  friends  had  done  more  for  their 
sick  neighbor  than  they  ever  thought  of.  Jesus 
answered  the  need  of  the  soul  and  the  body,  too. 

After  this,  Jesus  walked  on  the  shore.  A  pub- 
lican or  tax-gatherer  named  Levi  or  Matthew  was 
sitting  at  his  table  in  the  open  air  to  receive  the 
taxes  that  the  Jews  had  to  pay  to  the  Romans. 
He  had  seen  and  heard  Jesus,  and  he  longed  to 
be  a  better  man. 

Jesus  knew  this,  and  to-day  He  turned  to  him 
as  He  went  by  and  said,  "  Follow  Me." 

Matthew  rose  up  from  his  table,  left  all  that  he 
had,  and  followed  Him. 


46  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XX 
THE  POOL  OF  BETHESDA 

AT  Jerusalem  is  still  to  be  seen  the  Pool  of 
Bethesda  that  is  spoken  of  in  the  Gos- 
pel. It  is  near  the  St.  Stephen's  Gate, 
which  was  then  called  the  Sheep  Gate.  Now  it 
is  almost  full  of  rubbish  and  there  is  only  a  little 
dirty  water  in  it,  but  at  the  time  of  Jesus  people 
went  to  bathe  there  because  the  water  had  min- 
erals in  it  that  were  good  for  diseases.  Round 
the  healing  pool  were  five  porches  where  the  sick 
people  lay  waiting  for  the  water  to  move  and 
bubble,  for  then  was  the  best  time  to  bathe. 

Jesus  had  come  to  Jerusalem  to  the  Feast  of 
Purim,  which  took  place  a  little  before  the  Pass- 
over, and  one  Sabbath  He  walked  by  the  Pool  of 
Bethesda. 

Among  the  sick  people  He  noticed  a  miserable 
man  who  had  been  paralyzed  for  thirty-eight 
years  ;  he  could  not  move  himself,  and  he  had  no 
one  to  help  him.  He  had  most  likely  tired  out 
all  his  friends,  but  Jesus  had  pity  on  him.  He 
knew  that  he  had  been  a  long  time  there,  and  He 
asked  him,  "  Desirest  thou  to  be  made  whole  ?  " 


The  Pool  of  Bethesda  47 

The  sick  man  answered,  "  Sir,  I  have  no  man 
.     .     ,     to  put  me  into  the  pool." 

Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Rise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and 
walk."  At  the  word  of  Jesus  the  man  got  up. 
He  was  strong  and  well  again.  He  went  away 
carrying  his  bed. 

The  Jews  were  very  strict  about  working  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  some  of  them  said  to  him  as  he 
went  along,  "  It  is  the  Sabbath  ;  it  is  not  lawful 
for  thee  to  carry  thy  bed." 

He  told  them  that  the  man  who  had  cured  him 
had  told  him  to  do  it. 

"  What  man  is  it  ?  "  they  asked. 

He  could  not  say  who  it  was,  for  Jesus  had 
gone  away  through  the  crowd.  But  soon  after 
when  he  was  in  the  Temple  court  Jesus  came  up 
to  him  and  said,  "  Behold,  thou  art  made  whole  ; 
sin  no  more,  lest  a  worse  thing  come  to  thee." 

He  warned  the  man,  because  it  was  through 
his  bad  life  that  he  had  been  so  ill  and  helpless, 
and  now  he  had  the  chance  to  live  better.  The 
man  went  to  the  chief  Jews,  and  told  them  that 
it  was  Jesus  who  had  cured  him. 

Then  the  strict  Jews  and  the  Pharisees,  the 
religious  people,  were  very  angry,  because  they 
said  that  Jesus  had  broken  the  Sabbath. 

He  answered  them,  "  My  Father  worketh  even 


48  The  Story  of  Jesus 

till  now,  and  I  work."     At  this  they  were  still 
more  angry,  and  even  tried  to  kill  Him. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
KEEPING  THE  SABBATH 

JESUS  could  not  stay  in  Jerusalem  where 
the  religious  people  were  so  bitter  against 
Him,  so  He  went  back  to  Galilee  with  the 
friends  who  loved  Him.  But  the  Pharisees  fol- 
lowed Him  about  to  find  fault.  The  way  lay 
through  the  fields,  where  the  corn  was  ripening. 
One  Sabbath,  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  with 
the  Jews,  as  they  went  along,  the  disciples  were 
hungry,  and  gathered  ears  of  corn,  and  rubbed 
them  in  their  hands,  and  then  ate  the  soft  grains. 

The  Pharisees  said  to  Jesus,  "  Thy  disciples  do 
that  which  is  not  lawful  to  do  on  the  Sabbath 
day."     But  He  would  not  let  them  be  blamed. 

"  Have  ye  not  read,"  He  asked,  "  what  David 
did  when  he  was  hungry,  and  they  that  were 
with  him  ?  How  he  went  into  the  house  of  God, 
and  did  eat  the  shewbread  which  is  only  lawful 
for  the  priests  to  eat  ? "  Now  David  was  the 
great  hero  and  the  man  of  men  to  the  Jews,  and 


Keeping  the  Sabbath  49 

they  never  found  fault  with  what  he  did.  He 
went  on, "  Have  ye  not  read  in  the  law  how  the 
priests  are  blameless  when  they  work  in  the 
Temple  on  the  Sabbath  ?  But  I  tell  you  there  is 
One  here  greater  than  the  Temple.  For  the 
Son  of  Man  is  Lord  even  of  the  Sabbath  day." 

And  Jesus  went  into  a  synagogue  and  taught 
the  people.  A  man  whose  right  hand  was 
withered  and  useless  was  there,  and  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  sitting  in  the  best  seats  watched  to 
see  if  Jesus  would  help  him.  They  wanted  to 
find  something  by  which  they  might  accuse  Him 
to  the  Council,  that  He  might  be  condemned  to 
death  as  a  Sabbath-breaker. 

Jesus  noticed  the  man,  and  He  knew  what  they 
were  thinking,  and  that  they  cared  nothing  for 
the  poor  man  whose  working  hand  was  useless. 
So  He  said  to  him,  "  Stand  forth."  And  he 
stood  out  before  all  the  people.  Then  Jesus  said 
to  the  Pharisees,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  do  good  on  the 
Sabbath  day,  or  to  do  evil?  If  any  man  of  you 
have  one  sheep,  and  it  fall  into  a  pit  on  the  Sab- 
bath day,  will  he  not  lay  hold  on  it,  and  lift  it 
out  ?  How  much  then  is  a  man  better  than  a 
sheep?"     But  they  answered  not  a  word. 

He  looked  round  on  them  with  anger,  and 
grief  that  their  hearts  should  be  so  hard.     Then 


50  The  Story  of  Jesus 

He  said  to  the  man,  "  Stretch  out  thine  hand." 
And  he  put  it  out  strong  as  the  other. 

And  the  Pharisees  were  filled  with  hate  against 
Him,  because  He  did  not  fear  them,  but  showed 
how  wrongly  they  taught  the  people.  They 
went  out,  and  consulted  how  they  might  put 
Him  to  death. 

When  Jesus  heard  of  it  He  went  out  again  by 
the  sea,  among  the  people  who  would  not  let 
Him  be  taken. 


CHAPTER  XXn 
THE  TWELVE  APOSTLES 

ONE  evening  Jesus  went  up  to  a  hill 
near  the  sea,  and  stayed  there  all  night 
in  prayer. 
Early  in  the  morning  the  disciples  came  to 
Him.  From  among  them  He  chose  twelve  who 
should  always  be  with  Him  for  the  work.  He 
called  them,  and  gave  them  the  name  of  apos- 
tles, or  messengers,  because  they  were  to  carry 
the  good  news  about  Him  all  over  the  world. 

First  came  the  two  brothers,  Peter  and  An- 
drew, with  Philip ;  they  were  fishermen  of  Beth- 


The  Twelve  Apostles  51 

saida :  then  James  and  John,  two  more  brothers, 
fishermen  also  :  Jesus  named  these  two  the  Sons 
of  Thunder,  because  they  were  so  eager  and  hot. 
There  was  Nathaniel,  sometimes  called  Bar- 
tholomew, of  Cana :  and  Thomas,  the  one  who 
was  often  sad  and  doubting :  Matthew,  or  Levi 
as  he  was  called  when  he  was  a  pubhcan  before 
he  followed  Jesus  :  another  James,  about  whom 
hardly  anything  is  known,  and  Lebbaeus  :  Simon, 
sometimes  called  the  Canaanite,  and  Judas  Is- 
cariot,  who  was  afterward  to  become  the  traitor. 

These  men  were  quite  different  from  each 
other,  but  they  all  loved  Jesus, — even  Judas  did, 
at  first.  Peter,  James  and  John  were  His  near- 
est and  best  friends  ;  they  had  known  Him  the 
longest,  and  He  had  great  love  for  them.  John 
is  called  "  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved." 

These  twelve,  most  of  them  poor,  not  one  of 
them  high  or  rich,  Jesus  chose  for  His  work. 
They  became  some  of  the  greatest  men  that 
have  ever  lived,  because  He  put  His  spirit  in 
them. 


52  The  Story  of  Jesus 

CHAPTER  XXIII 
JESUS  TEACHES  ON  THE  HILLSIDE 

WHEN  Jesus  and  the  twelve  apostles 
came  down  from  the  top  of  the  hill, 
a  great  crowd  from  the  towns  and 
villages  stood  waiting  for  Him. 

Those  who  were  sick  tried  to  touch  Him,  that 
they  might  be  cured.  Luke  says,  "  There  went 
power  out  of  Him,  and  healed  them  all." 

And  when  they  were  ready  to  listen,  He  sat 
down  on  the  hillside.  He  looked  round  on  His 
disciples,  and  on  all  the  people,  men  and  women 
and  children  standing  or  sitting  below,  and  began 
to  speak  to  them. 

His  words  are  called  "  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,"  the  most  wonderful  sermon  that  ever 
was  preached. 

First  He  spoke  of  those  who  belonged  to  the 
kingdom,  and  how  happy  they  were. 

Then  He  told  them  how  His  followers  should 
live  day  by  day.  They  were  to  be  like  salt  be- 
cause it  keeps  things  good  and  sweet,  and  to  be 
lights  and  candles  to  show  people  the  right  way. 
They  were  always  to  speak  the  truth  and  be  true. 


THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT 


Jesus  Teaches  on  the  Hillside        53 

Let  your  Yes  mean  Yes,  and  your  No  mean  No, 
He  told  them.  He  said  they  must  be  kind  even 
to  bad  people,  and  those  who  treated  them  ill, 
and  so  be  children  of  the  Father  in  heaven  who 
sent  the  sunshine  and  the  rain  for  good  and  bad 
alike. 

"  Be  perfect,"  He  said,  "  even  as  your  Father 
in  heaven  is  perfect." 

And  He  told  them  never  to  make  themselves 
out  to  be  better  than  they  really  were  by  saying 
long  prayers  for  others  to  hear,  and  giving  money 
to  the  poor  so  that  men  might  praise  them.  Let 
God  alone  know  about  the  right  things  you  do, 
— He  sees  all — and  no  one  else  if  you  can  help  it. 

He  taught  them  the  prayer  which  we  call  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  which  is  quite  short,  that  they 
need  not  think  they  must  make  long  prayers 
with  many  words  when  they  were  praying,  but 
speak  as  to  a  great  Father  in  heaven  who  loved 
them. 

Then  Jesus  went  on  to  say  that  His  disciples 
should  not  strive  for  money  and  power  on  earth, 
for  these  things  soon  pass  away.  No  one  can 
serve  two  masters,  God  and  Riches,  at  the  same 
time.  Since  the  heavenly  father  feeds  the  birds, 
and  clothes  the  lilies,  He  will  much  more  care  for 
His  children. 


54  The  Story  of  Jesus 

"  Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye 
shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto 
you,"  Jesus  said. 

"  Not  every  one  that  says  to  Me,  Lord,  Lord  " 
— that  is,  pretends  to  follow  Jesus  as  Master — 
"  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he 
that  doeth  the  will  of  My  Father  which  is  in 
heaven." 

"  Every  one  that  heareth  these  My  words,  and 
doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man 
who  built  his  house  upon  a  rock.  And  the  rain 
fell,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew, 
and  beat  upon  that  house,  and  it  fell  not,  for  it 
was  founded  upon  the  rock." 

The  people  were  astonished  at  the  preaching 
of  Jesus  and  at  His  knowledge  and  power.  The 
scribes  said  in  their  teaching,  "  Moses  says,"  but 
He  said,  "  I  say." 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
WHEN  JESUS  WALKED  IN  GALILEE 

JESUS  came  down  from  the  Hill  of  Hattin, 
and  went  into  the  town.     The  chief  men 
of  the  place,  and  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue 
came  to  meet  Him,  to  ask  something  of  Him. 
A   Roman  centurion,  or  captain,  lived  there 


When  Jesus  Walked  in  Galilee      55 

who  had  a  servant  of  whom  he  was  very  fond,  al- 
though he  was  most  hkely  a  slave,  and  he  was 
dying.  The  rulers  told  Jesus  that  this  Roman  had 
sent  them,  and  of  his  good  deeds  in  Capernaum, 
and  how  he  had  built  the  synagogue.  They 
begged  Him  earnestly  to  help  him,  and  Jesus 
went  at  once. 

But  when  they  came  near  the  house,  some 
friends  of  the  centurion  met  Him  with  this  mes- 
sage: "  Lord,  trouble  not  Thyself;  for  I  am  not 
worthy  that  Thou  shouldest  come  under  my 
roof ;  wherefore  neither  thought  I  myself  worthy 
to  come  unto  Thee,  but  say  in  a  word  and  let  my 
servant  be  healed."  He  believed  that  disease 
and  death  would  obey  Jesus,  just  as  his  own 
soldiers  obeyed  his  orders. 

And  Jesus  wondered  at  his  faith,  and  turned 
and  said  to  the  crowd  that  was  following,  "  I  say 
unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not 
in  Israel."     And  He  cured  the  sick  servant. 

Soon  after,  Jesus  went  to  the  little  city  of 
Nain,  a  short  distance  from  Capernaum,  and  the 
disciples  and  many  others  were  with  Him. 

As  they  drew  near  the  gate,  they  saw  a  sad 
sight.  A  young  man  of  the  city  had  died,  and 
his  neighbors  were  carrying  his  body  on  a  bier  to 
be  buried.     His  mother  followed,  weeping  bit- 


56  The  Story  of  Jesus 

terly,  for  she  was  a  widow,  and  this  was  her  only 
son.  And  the  people  of  the  place  had  come  to 
show  how  sorry  they  were,  but  nothing  could 
comfort  the  poor  mother. 

Jesus  was  full  of  pity  for  her,  and  He  said 
gently,  "  Weep  not."  He  came  near  and  touched 
the  bier,  and  the  bearers  stood  still.  Then,  while 
they  all  looked  at  Him  and  listened.  He  said, 
"  Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise." 

The  young  man  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak, 
and  Jesus  gave  him  back  to  his  mother.  Her 
sorrow  was  turned  to  joy,  and  her  friends  were 
glad  with  her. 

The  people  said,  *'  A  great  prophet  is  risen 
among  us.     God  has  visited  His  people." 


CHAPTER  XXV 
THE  FATE  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST 

WHAT  had  become  of  John  the  Fore- 
runner, while  Jesus  was  going  about 
the  country,  preaching  about  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  healing  the  sick  ?  He  had 
himself  said  of  Jesus,  "  He  must  increase,  and  I 
must  decrease,"   and  now  his  work  was   over. 


The  Fate  of  John  the  Baptist        57 

He  had  been  so  bold  as  to  reprove  the  king  for 
marrying  a  bad  woman  named  Herodias,  for 
which  Herod  threw  him  into  prison  in  the  strong 
castle  of  Machaerus,  and  would  have  killed  him, 
had  not  the  people  counted  him  a  great  prophet. 

So  the  strong  man,  who  had  always  had  the 
greatest  freedom  in  the  open  air,  lay  in  his  dark 
cell,  and  grew  sad  and  weary.  His  disciples 
came  to  see  him  in  his  prison.  They  told  him 
of  the  wonderful  works  of  Jesus,  and  how  the 
people  talked  about  Him ;  but  John,  who  had 
witnessed  before  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  had  nearly 
lost  his  faith.  He  sent  two  of  his  disciples  with 
this  question  to  Jesus,  "Art  Thou  He  that  should 
come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  ?  " 

They  came  to  Jesus,  and  told  the  message  of 
John.  He  was  not  angry,  but  He  kept  them  be- 
side Him,  while  He  cured  many  sick  and  blind 
people.  Then  He  answered  them :  "  Go  and 
tell  John  what  things  ye  have  seen  and  heard. 
.  .  .  Blessed  is  he  whosoever  shall  not  be 
offended  (lose  faith)  in  Me." 

When  they  were  gone.  He  said  to  the  people : 
"  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness  to  see  ? 
A  reed  shaken  with  the  wind  ?  But  what  went 
ye  out  to  see?  A  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment? 
Such  live  in  kings'  courts." 


58  The  Story  of  Jesus 

John  was  a  prophet;  no  greater  had  ever  been 
than  he. 

"  This  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written,  Behold,  I 
send  My  messenger  before  My  face,  who  shall 
prepare  the  way  before  Me." 

And  then  Jesus  looked  round  on  the  people. 
Many  of  them  were  weary  and  troubled  as  John 
was,  so  He  said,  "  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  are 
weary,  and  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 
Take  My  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  from  Me ; 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart ;  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  unto  your  souls." 

Now  Herodias  was  very  angry  with  John  the 
Baptist,  and  only  waited  for  a  time  to  come  when 
she  might  have  him  killed.  After  a  while  her 
chance  came. 

Herod's  birthday  came,  and  he  made  a  great 
feast  for  the  lords  of  Galilee.  Salome,  the  beau- 
tiful daughter  of  Herodias,  dressed  herself  like  a 
dancing  girl  and  came  in  to  amuse  the  king  and 
his  lords  when  they  were  drinking  wine.  This 
was  a  shameless  thing  to  do,  but  Salome  did  not 
mind  that.  She  pleased  Herod  so  much  with 
her  dances  that  he  promised  to  give  her  what- 
ever she  liked,  even  "  to  the  half  of  the  king- 
dom." 

Salome  ran  to  her  mother,  and  said,  "  What 


The  Sinful  Woman  Who  Loved  Much   59 

shall  I  ask  ?  "  Herodias,  glad  that  her  time  had 
come,  answered,  "  The  head  of  John  the  Baptist." 

Salome  ran  back,  and  told  the  king,  "  I  will 
that  thou  give  me  at  once  the  head  of  John  the 
Baptist  on  a  dish." 

Herod  was  full  of  sorrow,  but  he  was  ashamed 
not  to  keep  the  promise  that  so  many  had  heard 
him  make,  and  so  he  agreed  to  do  this  hateful 
thing.  He  gave  the  order,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes the  headsman  brought  into  the  banquet 
room  the  head  of  noble  John.  Salome  took  it  in 
one  of  the  dishes  from  the  table,  and  gave  it  to 
her  mother. 

This  is  a  terrible  story  about  a  girl  whose 
mother  taught  her  to  be  as  bad  as  herself. 

John's  disciples  carried  away  his  body  and 
buried  it ;  then  they  went  and  told  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
THE  SINFUL  WOMAN  WHO  LOVED  MUCH 

ONCE  a  Pharisee  named  Simon  asked 
Jesus  to  his  house  to  supper.  This  was 
not  out  of  friendship,  for  Simon  did 
not  treat  Jesus  with  the  kindness  that  to  this  day 
the  people  in  the  East  show  to  strangers.     He 


6o  The  Story  of  Jesus 

gave  Him  no  kiss  of  welcome,  and  no  water  to 
wash  His  feet. 

The  doors  were  open,  and  many  came  into  the 
house  ;  the  poor  who  came  to  look  on,  as  well  as 
the  guests  of  the  master  who  were  at  the  table. 

Among  the  crowd  was  a  woman  of  the  town. 
Every  one  knew  she  had  led  a  bad  life.  She  had 
heard  that  Jesus  was  there,  and  she  had  brought 
the  most  precious  thing  she  had  to  give  Him,  a 
jar  of  sweet-smelling  ointment.  She  pressed 
through  the  crowd,  and  stood  behind  the  couch 
where  Jesus  was  lying,  for  it  was  the  custom  for 
people  to  recline,  and  not  to  sit,  for  meals. 

As  she  stood  there,  the  woman  thought  of  her 
bad  life,  and  cried  bitterly,  and  her  tears  fell  upon 
His  feet.  She  wiped  them  away  with  her  long 
hair,  and  then  she  broke  the  jar,  and  poured  the 
sweet  ointment  over  them. 

But  Simon  the  Pharisee  said  to  himself:  "This 
man,  if  He  were  a  prophet,  would  have  known 
who  and  what  manner  of  woman  this  is  that 
toucheth  Him  :  for  she  is  a  sinner." 

Jesus  knew  his  thoughts,  and  He  said  to  him, 
"  Simon,  I  have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee." 

"  Master,  say  on,"  Simon  said. 

"  There  was  once  a  creditor  who  had  two  debt- 
ors ;  the  one    owed  him  five  hundred  pence,  and 


The  Sinful  Woman  Who  Loved  Much  6i 

the  other  fifty.  And  when  they  had  nothing  to 
pay  he  frankly  forgave  them  both.  Say  then, 
which  of  them  will  love  him  most  ?  " 

Simon  said,  "  I  suppose  he  to  whom  he  forgave 
most." 

Jesus  said,  "  Thou  hast  judged  rightly." 

He  turned  to  the  woman  and  said  to  Simon, 
"  Seest  thou  this  woman  ?  I  entered  into  thine 
house.  Thou  gavest  Me  no  water  for  My  feet, 
but  she  hath  washed  My  feet  with  tears,  and 
wiped  them  with  her  hair."  The  woman  who 
was  sorry  for  her  sin  had  done  for  Jesus  more 
than  the  man  who  believed  himself  so  good. 
"  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee,  her  sins,  which  are 
many,  are  forgiven,  for  she  loved  much,  but  to 
whom  little  is  forgiven,  he  loveth  little." 

Then  He  said  to  the  Avoman,  "  Thy  sins  are 
forgiven."  Those  at  the  table  wondered  to  them- 
selves, "  Who  is  this  that  even  forgiveth  sins  ?  " 

And  Jesus  spoke  again  to  her :  "  Thy  faith 
hath  saved  thee  ;  go  in  peace." 


62  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

PREACHING  THE  GOOD   TIDINGS   OF  THE 
KINGDOM 

THESE  were  the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man. 
This  is  what  Jesus  called  Himself,  that 
the  people  might  understand  that  He 
was  in  very  truth  a  man  among  men  ;  that  He 
shared  the  joys  and  sorrows  and  the  cares  that 
came  to  them  every  day. 

So  He  went  about  the  towns  and  villages  of 
Galilee  preaching.  One  day  there  would  come 
a  shout  down  the  little  street  of  a  village,  "  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  ! "  and  all  would  run  to  meet  Him. 

Whom  did  they  see  ? 

A  young  man  dressed  like  a  Jewish  workman 
in  a  loose  blue  cloak  falling  nearly  to  the  ground. 
Underneath  this  was  a  tunic  without  a  seam, 
woven  in  one  piece,  drawn  round  the  waist  with 
a  girdle.  A  white  scarf  was  bound  round  His 
head  by  a  fillet  or  cord,  and  fell  over  His  shoul- 
ders.    On  His  feet  were  sandals. 

But  if  it  was  a  poor  man's  dress,  it  was  a  king 
who  wore  it.  His  disciples  walking  by  His  side 
called  Him  "  Master  "  and  "  Lord."     Little  chil- 


Preaching  the  Good  Tidings         63 

dren  loved  to  be  near  Him,  He  was  so  kind,  but 
the  proud  rulers  who  despised  the  common  peo- 
ple felt  ashamed  when  they  met  the  look  of  re- 
proof of  Jesus,  The  sick  and  the  sorrowful  and 
the  sinful  looked  up  to  Him  with  hope,  for  they 
knew  He  would  help  them. 

The  twelve  men  whom  He  had  chosen  went 
about  with  Him.  Most  of  them  were  young, 
some  were  dressed  like  fishermen  :  not  one  was 
rich,  so  they  put  all  their  money  together  in  a 
bag  which  was  carried  by  Judas  Iscariot. 

Then  there  were  the  women  who  followed 
Jesus,  some  riding  on  mules  or  asses,  others 
walking.  A  rich  lady  named  Joanna  was  one 
of  them,  and  Mary  Magdalene  and  Susanna. 
These  ladies  gave  Him  many  things  that  He 
needed  as  He  went  about,  for  He  could  not  then 
be  at  work  for  Himself. 

Besides  these  friends  there  was  the  crowd  who 
followed  Jesus  from  place  to  place,  mostly  poor 
people,  but  among  them  scribes  and  Pharisees 
from  Jerusalem,  as  well  as  Greek  merchants,  and 
sometimes  Roman  soldiers.  Some  of  these 
Pharisees  hated  Him  in  their  hearts,  but  were 
afraid  to  say  so  openly,  because  in  Galilee  they 
hailed  Him  as  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  David. 

This  is  how  Jesus  went  about  doing  good. 


64  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
PARABLE  OF  THE  SOWER 

ONE  day  while  Jesus  was  teaching  by  the 
seashore,  so  great  a  crowd  came  round 
Him  that  He  got  into  one  of  the  fishing 
boats  and  had  it  pulled  out  a  little  from  the  land. 
Then  He  sat  down,  and  told  the  people  a  story : 
"  Hearken  !  Behold,  there  went  out  a  sower  to 
sow." 

Most  likely  He  saw  a  man  away  on  the  hill- 
side sowing  corn  in  the  open  field,  and  He 
wanted  to  teach  a  lesson  by  what  he  was  doing, 
and  where  the  seed  fell  which  he  scattered. 

Some  seed  fell  by  the  wayside,  where  the  birds 
came  and  ate  it ;  and  some  on  stony  ground, 
where  it  sprang  up  quickly  because  there  was 
hardly  any  earth,  and  the  sun  scorched  it  up. 
Some  fell  among  thorns  and  weeds  which  would 
spring  up  and  choke  it,  but  some  fell  on  the  good 
ground,  and  sprang  up,  and  yielded  fruit. 

When  He  had  finished  His  story,  or  parable, 
as  it  was  called,  Jesus  said,  "  He  that  hath  ears 
to  hear,  let  him  hear,"  for  He  wanted  them  to 
find  out  the  meaning. 


Parable  of  the  Sower  65 

It  was  a  pleasant  way  to  teach,  and  a  pleasant 
place  in  which  to  listen,  but  hardly  any  one 
understood  the  lessons  of  Jesus  in  His  parables. 

Afterward,  when  He  was  alone  in  the  house, 
His  disciples  came  and  said,  "  What  might  this 
parable  be  ?  " 

He  told  them  that  He  was  the  Sower,  and  the 
seed  was  the  word  of  the  kingdom.  The  hearts 
of  the  people  who  listened  were  like  the  field 
where  the  seed  fell,  Satan,  like  the  birds,  took 
away  the  word  from  the  hearts  of  some,  and  with 
many  others  the  cares  and  riches  of  the  world, 
like  the  thorns,  choked  it.  But  those  who 
heard  the  word  and  kept  it  were  the  good  ground 
which  "  brought  forth  fruit  with  patience." 
Fruit  is  a  good  and  true  life,  and  without  that, 
listening  to  sermons  counts  worse  than  nothing. 

Then  Jesus  told  the  disciples,  to  encourage 
them,  how  quietly  the  seed  grows,  from  the  tiny 
blade  to  the  green  ear,  and  then  the  full  corn 
ready  for  harvest.  So  the  kingdom  began  in 
their  hearts,  so  small  they  could  hardly  tell  it  was 
there  at  first,  but  by  and  by,  and  surely,  it  would 
grow  perfect. 

It  was  some  time  that  day,  while  Jesus  was 
speaking  in  the  house,  that  His  mother  and  His 
brothers  came  to   take  Him  away  if  they  could. 


66  The  Story  of  Jesus 

They  did  not  then  believe  Him  and  said  that  He 
was  mad,  but  they  could  not  get  near  Him  for 
the  crowd. 

When  Jesus  heard  of  it,  He  looked  at  His 
disciples  and  said,  "  My  mother  and  My  brethren 
are  those  who  hear  the  word  of  God  and  do  it." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
THE  STORM  ON  THE  SEA 

THAT  same  day,  when  it  was  evening, 
Jesus  said  to  His  disciples,  "  Let  us 
pass  over  to  the  opposite  shore."  He 
was  very  weary,  and  longed  to  go  out  of  the 
noise  and  the  crush.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
lake  it  was  quieter,  and  He  often  slept  in  the 
open  air.  So  the  disciples  sent  away  the  people 
and  came  down  to  the  shore.  Peter's  boat  was 
lying  there,  and  they  took  Jesus  into  it. 

But  before  they  could  put  off,  a  scribe,  who 
had  been  listening  to  him  during  the  day,  came 
up  and  said  to  Him,  "  Master,  I  will  follow  Thee 
wherever  Thou  goest."  Jesus  knew  that  the 
man  had  not  counted  the  cost,  so  He  told  him 


The  Storm  on  the  Sea  67 

that   even  the  foxes  had  holes  and  the  birds  had 
nests,  but  that  He  had  no  resting  place. 

And  then  another  came  up.  He,  too,  wanted 
to  follow  Him,  but  not  for  a  Httle  while  longer. 
Jesus  told  him  to  come  now,  for  if  he  waited  he 
might  never  have  the  same  chance  again. 

Then  they  rowed  off,  and  Jesus  was  so  tired 
that  He  laid  His  head  on  the  steersman's  cushion, 
and  fell  asleep. 

Suddenly  there  came  a  great  storm  of  wind 
down  on  the  lake.  It  scattered  the  other  boats 
that  were  crossing  at  the  same  time.  The  waves 
beat  into  Peter's  fishing  boat,  and  it  was  full  of 
water.  The  disciples  ran  to  Jesus  in  great  fear, 
and  called  to  Him,  and  woke  Him. 

"  Master,  carest  Thou  not  that  we  perish  ?  " 
they  cried. 

He  said  to  them,  "  Why  are  ye  so  fearful,  ye 
faithless  ones  ?  "  Then  He  stood  up,  and  looked 
into  the  darkness.  He  reproved  the  wind,  and 
said  to  the  tossing  waves,  "  Peace,  be  still." 

The  wind  left  off  blowing,  and  the  waves  were 
still. 

Jesus  turned  to  His  disciples.  "  How  is  it  that 
ye  have  no  faith?"  He  asked  them,  for  He 
wondered  that  they  should  be  so  afraid  when  He 
W5S  with  them, 


68  The  Story  of  Jesus 

But  they  said  to  one  another,  with  a  great  fear, 
"  Who  then  is  this,  that  even  the  wind  and  the 
sea  obey  Him  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XXX 
THE  MADMAN  OF  GADARA 

WHEN  Jesus  landed  on  the  other  side 
of  the  lake,  early  on  the  morning 
after  the  storm,  a  strange  thing  hap- 
pened. A  poor  man  who  was  mad,  and  so  would 
not  stay  at  home  or  in  the  city,  lived  up  on  the 
hills  among  the  tombs.  In  his  fury  he  often  cut 
himself  with  stones,  and  tore  his  clothes,  and 
cried  out  and  shouted,  so  that  people  were  afraid 
to  pass  that  way. 

This  poor  tormented  man  saw  Jesus  coming 
ashore  from  a  long  way  off.  He  felt  in  his  heart 
how  great  He  was,  and  ran  to  Him  and  fell  down 
at  His  feet.  "  What  have  I  to  do  with  Thee, 
Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  the  most  high  God  ?  Tor- 
ment me  not ! "  the  madman  cried,  for  Jesus  was 
saying,  "  Come  out  of  the  man,  unclean  spirit." 

Then  Jesus  asked  his  name,  but  the  man  could 
only  say  it  was  Legion.     A  legion  was  a  com- 


The  Madman  of  Gadara  69 

pany  of  Roman  soldiers,  and  he  thought  that  a 
great  number  of  bad  spirits  Hved  in  his  heart. 

Near  by  a  large  herd  of  pigs  was  feeding  on 
the  hills,  with  herdsmen  watching  them.  The 
man  thought  he  should  be  free  if  the  evil  spirits 
would  go  from  him  into  the  pigs.  With  his  loud 
cries  he  frightened  them  so  much  that  they  all 
rushed  down  the  sides  of  the  hill,  and  fell  into 
the  sea,  and  were  drowned.  The  herdsmen,  who 
were  very  ignorant,  thought  that  the  evil  spirits 
had  caused  this,  so  they  ran  into  the  town  near 
by,  and  told  the  story,  especially  how  all  the  pigs 
were  drowned. 

The  people  of  Gadara  were  partly  foreign,  for 
the  true  Jews  did  not  keep  pigs.  They  came 
out  to  meet  Jesus,  and  saw  the  man,  whom  they 
had  known  so  wild  and  dangerous,  sitting  at  His 
feet,  dressed  like  others,  and  in  his  right  mind. 
But  they  were  not  glad  for  their  poor  fellow 
townsman.  Oh,  no  !  They  thought  of  the  great 
loss  of  their  pigs,  and  that  if  Jesus  came  into 
their  town,  something  even  worse  might  happen 
to  them  through  Him,  so  they  prayed  Him  to 
go  away. 

Jesus  never  stayed  where  He  was  not  wanted. 
He  turned  back  to  the  boat.  The  man  whom 
He  had  cured  wanted  to  come  with  Him,  but 


yo  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Go  home  to  thy  friends,  and 
tell  them  how  great  things  the  Lord  hath  done 
for  thee." 

And  they  were  happy  at  his  home  when  he 
went  back  to  them  quiet  and  kind  once  more. 

The  people  of  Gadara  had  thrown  away  their 
opportunity  of  knowing  Jesus,  all  for  selfishness. 
In  their  blindness  they  sent  Him  away,  but  He 
gave  them  this  chance — He  left  behind  one  dis- 
ciple who  would  always  witness  to  His  goodness. 


CHAPTER    XXXI 
MATTHEW'S    FEAST 

SO  Jesus  came  back  to  His  own  city,  Caper- 
naum.    Though  it  was  still  quite  early  the 
people  were  waiting  for  Him,  and  gladly 
received  Him. 

It  seems  to  have  been  on  that  day  that  Mat- 
thew had  a  supper  in  His  honor.  Matthew  was 
well  off,  and  now  he  was  giving  up  everything 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus  ;  he  wanted  every  one  to 
know  how  much  he  honored  Him. 

Many  friends  in  his  old  trade  were  there,  be- 
sides a  few  of  the  chief  men  of  the  town  who  did 
not  mind  coming  to  a  publican's  house  to  a  feast. 


Matthew's  Feast  71 

Jesus  came  in  among  them  as  if  there  were  no 
difference  between  Him  and  them,  and  tlie  Phar- 
isees noticed  it,  and  said,  "  See,  He  eats  and 
drinks  with  pubhcans  and  sinners."  They 
thought  it  strange  that  a  rabbi  should  mix  with 
people  whom  they  so  much  despised.  Jesus  told 
them  that  it  was  sick  people  who  needed  a  doc- 
tor, not  those  who  were  well.  The  common 
people  knew  they  were  bad— they  were  the  sick 
—but  the  Pharisees  believed  themselves  good,— 
they  were  those  who  did  not  need  the  doctor. 
"  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repent." 

Some  who  were  there  followed  John  the  Bap- 
tist, and  thought  it  a  good  thing  to  go  without 
food  often,  and  always  to  live  very  plainly. 
They  wondered  that  Jesus  gave  no  strict  rules  to 
His  disciples,  as  the  other  rabbis  did,  and  they 
asked  Him  about  it.  He  said  it  was  like  a  bride- 
groom and  his  friends.  His  friends  shared  the 
bridegroom's  joy.  They  would  not  fast  and 
mourn  while  He  was  with  them.  "  But,"  said 
Jesus,  "  the  days  will  come  when  the  Bridegroom 
shall  be  taken  away,  and  then  shall  they  fast." 

He  thought  of  the  sorrow  of  His  disciples 
when  He  should  be  taken  from  them,  and  put  to 
death.     He  was  their  Master,  but  He  was  their 


72  The  Story  of  Jesus 

best  Friend,  also,  and  it  was  one  of  His  secrets 
to  make  people  happy.  He  did  not  teach  the 
publicans  and  sinners  by  telling  them  how  bad 
they  were,  but  He  came  to  them,  and  sat  down 
among  them,  and  made  them  want  to  be  good 
that  they  might  be  like  Him.  He  was  the 
Friend  of  Sinners. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 
"LITTLE  MAID,  ARISE!" 

JAIRUS,  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue  at  Caper- 
naum, had  an  only  daughter,  whom  he 
dearly  loved.  She  was  twelve  years  old, 
and  when  she  fell  very  sick  her  father  and  mother 
were  full  of  sorrow.  Jairus  could  only  think  of 
one  who  could  help  them,  and  that  one  was 
Jesus.  It  is  likely  he  had  been  to  Him  to  ask 
Him  to  cure  the  centurion's  servant,  and,  of 
course,  he  must  have  known  about  Him. 

He  went  to  Matthew's  house.  He  took  no 
notice  of  any  one  else,  but  went  up  to  Jesus,  and 
fell  at  His  feet. 

"  My  little  daughter  lies  at  the  point  of  death ; 
but  come  and  lay  Thy  hands  upon  her,  and  she 
shall  Uve,"  he  said  with  tears. 


"  Little  Maid,  Arise  I  "  73 

Jesus  rose  from  the  table  to  go  with  him.  His 
disciples  and  a  crowd  followed.  As  they  went 
toward  the  house,  and  the  crowd  was  getting 
larger  all  the  way,  for  every  one  wanted  to  see 
what  Jesus  would  do,  He  turned  suddenly,  and 
asked,  "  Who  touched  Me  ?  " 

Peter  said,  "  Master,  the  people  throng  Thee, 
and  press  Thee,  and  dost  Thou  say,  '  Who 
touched  Me  ?  '  " 

Jesus  said,  "  Somebody  touched  Me." 

It  was  a  poor  woman  who  had  been  ill  for 
twelve  years.  She  had  spent  all  her  money  go- 
ing to  different  doctors,  and  only  became  worse 
instead  of  better.  As  Jesus  came  by,  she  said  to 
herself,  "  If  I  may  but  touch  His  garment  I  shall 
be  whole."  She  did  not  want  any  one  to  see 
her,  and  it  was  dark,  but  she  managed  to  creep 
through  the  crowd  behind  Jesus.  She  put  out 
her  hand,  and  when  she  touched  Him  felt  at  once 
that  she  was  cured.  But  when  she  heard  Him 
say,  "  Who  touched  Me  ?  "  she  was  very  fright- 
ened, and  came  trembling  and  fell  at  His  feet, 
and  told  Him  all. 

Jesus  said  to  her,  so  kindly,  "  Daughter,  be  of 
good  comfort ;  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole. 
Go  in  peace." 

As  He  spoke,  a  servant  from  Jairus's  house 


74  The  Story  of  Jesus 

came  up  and  said  to  him,  "  Thy  daughter  is  dead, 
trouble  not  the  Master." 

Jesus  said  to  Jairus,  "  Be  not  afraid;  only  be- 
lieve." 

As  they  came  near  the  house,  a  great  tumult 
could  be  heard.  The  hired  mourning  women 
had  already  come,  and  were  fiUing  the  air  with 
their  cries.  Jesus  would  let  only  Peter,  James 
and  John  go  in  with  Him. 

He  said  to  the  mourners,  "  Why  make  ye  this 
ado,  and  weep  ?  The  little  girl  is  not  dead  ;  she 
is  sleeping." 

But  they  laughed  at  Him,  for  they  knew  that 
she  was  dead.  Jesus  often  speaks  of  death  as  a 
sleep,  for  He  could  rouse  from  the  sleep  of  death. 

He  put  them  all  out,  and  then  He  took  the 
father  and  mother,  and  Peter,  James  and  John 
with  Him  into  the  room  where  the  girl  was  lying 
upon  her  bed,  quite  still. 

He  stood  by  the  side  of  the  bed,  and  took  her 
hand  in  His,  as  He  said  to  her  in  Aramaic,  the 
speech  of  Galilee,  "  Talitha  cumi  " — "  little  girl, 
get  up."  She  woke  from  death  as  quietly  as  if 
her  mother  had  roused  her  from  sleep  in  the 
morning,  and  stood  up  alive  and  well.  What  a 
happy  time  for  Jairus  and  her  mother ! 

But  Jesus  charged  them  not  to  let  any  one 


THE  RAISING  OF  JAIRUS  S   DAUGHTER 


"  Little  Maid,  Arise  I  "  75 

know,  and  said  they  must  give  her  something  to 
eat.  Lest  she  should  be  frightened,  she  was  not 
to  know  that  Jesus  had  called  her  back  from 
death. 

Jesus,  the  Lord  of  Hfe,  knew  that  it  was  best  so. 

About  this  time  Jesus  called  the  twelve  disciples 
to  Him,  and  gave  them  power  over  evil  spirits, 
and  to  cure  diseases.  Then  He  sent  them  two 
and  two  through  the  country,  to  preach  and  to 
heal  the  sick. 

They  were  to  go  about  like  ordinary  poor 
men,  in  their  working  clothes,  and  not  even  to 
take  any  money  in  their  purses,  or  bread  in  their 
bags. 

But  if  they  were  to  be  so  humble  in  their  way, 
they  were  to  behave  as  men  who  carried  this 
great  message :  •'  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand." 

"  I  send  you,"  said  Jesus,  "  as  sheep  in  the 
midst  of  wolves  :  be  wise  as  serpents  and  harm- 
less as  doves." 

So  they  went  through  the  towns  and  villages 
preaching  as  they  went,  going  mostly  to  the 
people  who  were  poor  and  those  who  were  will- 
ing to  receive  them.  And  Jesus  Himself  fol- 
lowed them. 


76  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

THE  MEAL  IN  THE  DESERT 

THE  disciples  who  had  been  preaching 
the  message  of  the  kingdom  over  the 
country  came  back  to  Jesus,  and  told 
Him  all  that  they  had  done  and  taught.  They 
found  with  Him  the  friends  of  John,  who  had 
come  to  tell  Him  about  his  death. 

Jesus  saw  how  sorrowful  John's  disciples  were 
and  that  they  were  all  tired,  while  the  people  kept 
coming  and  going,  so  that  there  was  hardly  time 
even  to  eat.  He  said,  "  Come  away  into  a  coun- 
try place,  and  rest  a  while." 

So  they  launched  the  boat  and  crossed  the 
lake  to  go  to  the  country  near  Bethsaida.  This 
would  be  away  from  the  crowd,  and  out  of  the 
reach  of  Herod,  who  had  heard  of  the  great 
works  of  Jesus,  and  wanted  to  see  Him.  His 
guilty  heart  would  not  let  him  rest,  and  he  said, 
"  It  is  John,  whom  I  beheaded ;  he  is  risen  from 
the  dead."  At  last,  Herod  did  once  see  Jesus, 
but  not  now. 


The  Meal  in  the  Desert  77 

There  was  no  quiet  for  the  weary  Master  and 
His  friends,  for  when  the  people  saw  the  boat 
start,  they  made  haste,  and  went  round  one  end 
of  the  lake  till  they  came  to  the  place  where 
Jesus  would  land,  and  waited  for  Him  there. 

When  He  landed  and  saw  them.  His  heart 
filled  with  great  pity;  they  were  to  Him  like 
sheep,  helpless  without  any  shepherd.  He  wel- 
comed them,  and  sat  down  on  the  hillside  and 
taught  them  about  the  kingdom  of  God.  And 
He  cured  those  that  had  need. 

The  evening  came  on,  and  still  they  lingered 
round  Him.     Then  the  twelve  came  up  to  Him. 

"  It  is  a  desert  place,  and  the  day  is  now  far 
spent,"  they  said.  "  Send  the  people  away  to 
the  villages  that  they  may  get  food  and  shelter 
for  the  night," 

But  Jesus  said,  "  They  need  not  go  away ; 
give  ye  them  to  eat." 

He  turned  to  Philip  and  asked  him,  '•  How 
shall  we  buy  bread  ?  " 

Philip  and  the  others  thought  of  the  money  it 
would  take.  They  were  not  rich ;  so  they  said 
doubtfully,  "  Two  hundred  pennyworth  of  bread 
would  be  hardly  enough ;  shall  we  go  into  the 
villages  and  buy  ?  " 

Jesus  knew  that  they  thought  He  was  asking 


yS  The  Story  of  Jesus 

them  to  do  a  great  deal,  so  He  said,  '•  How  many- 
loaves  have  ye  ?     Go  and  see." 

Andrew  came  up  and  said,  "  There  is  a  lad 
here  with  five  barley  loaves  and  two  fishes ;  but 
what  are  they  among  so  many  ?  " 

Jesus  said,  "  Bring  them  here  to  Me." 

The  loaves  were  little  flat  cakes,  and  the  fishes 
were  small,  but  He  knew  what  He  would  do  with 
them. 

It  was  spring,  near  Passover  time,  and  the 
grass  was  green.  He  said,  "  Make  the  men  sit 
down." 

And  the  men  sat  down  on  the  grass  in  rows, 
and  the  women  and  children  a  little  way  off,  by 
themselves.  Their  gay  clothing  made  the  grass 
look  like  bright  carpet. 

Jesus  took  the  loaves  in  His  hands,  and  look- 
ing up.  He  gave  thanks.  Then  He  broke  them 
into  pieces,  and  gave  them  to  the  disciples  with 
the  fishes,  and  they  went  round,  and  gave  to  the 
people,  till  all  had  had  enough. 

So  when  all  had  finished,  Jesus  said  to  the  dis- 
ciples, "  Gather  up  the  broken  pieces  that  are 
left,  that  nothing  be  lost." 

And  there  were  twelve  baskets  full  of  bread 
and  fish. 

The  people  said,  "  This  is  truly  the  prophet 


"  Be  of  Good  Cheer  "  79 

that  cometh  into  the  world,"  and  they  wanted  to 
take  Jesus  by  force  and  make  Him  a  king. 

When  He  saw  it,  and  that  it  was  getting 
toward  night,  He  sent  the  disciples  away  in  the 
boat,  and  the  people  to  their  homes.  Then  He 
went  up  the  hillside  to  pray  there  alone. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 
"BE  OF  GOOD  CHEER" 

WHILE  the  disciples  were  crossing,  the 
wind  came  down  upon  the  lake,  and 
beat  the  waves  against  the  boat,  so 
that  they  toiled  hard  at  their  rowing. 

Jesus,  from  the  hill  by  the  shore,  saw  their 
trouble.  In  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night,  just 
before  the  dawn,  when  it  is  very  dark.  He  went 
to  their  help  walking  on  the  water.  They  were 
all  afraid,  and  cried  out  with  fear,  for  they  did 
not  know  Him,  and  thought  that  it  was  a  spirit 
passing  by  the  boat. 

But  Jesus  called  out  to  them  :  "  Be  of  good 
cheer :  it  is  I,  be  not  afraid." 

Peter,  who  always  wanted  to  do  something 
before  any  of  the  others,  called  back,  "  Lord,  if  it 
be  Thou,  let  me  come  to  Thee  upon  the  water." 


8o  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  said,  "  Come." 

Peter  sprang  from  the  boat,  and  walked  upon 
the  waves  to  go  to  Jesus.  But  when  he  was  out 
upon  the  water,  and  the  wind  blew  against  him, 
he  was  afraid  and  began  to  sink,and  he  cried  out, 
"  Lord,  save  me." 

Jesus  put  out  His  hand,  and  caught  hold  of 
him  and  said,  "  Oh,  thou  of  httle  faith,  wherefore 
didst  thou  doubt  ?  "  For  if  Peter  had  kept  on 
looking  at  Jesus,  instead  of  thinking  about  the 
wind  and  waves,  he  would  have  been  safe. 

When  they  reached  the  boat,  the  wind  left  off 
blowing,  and  the  sea  was  calm.  The  disciples 
were  astonished  at  the  way  Jesus  had  come  to 
them,  for  they  could  not  understand  the  miracle 
of  the  loaves  and  fishes.  They  could  not  grasp 
the  thought  of  the  great  power  of  Jesus,  though 
they  fell  at  His  feet  to  worship  Him,  and  called 
Him,  "  Son  of  God." 

They  looked  around  them  and  saw  that  the 
boat  was  at  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 


The  Bread  of  Life  81 


CHAPTER  XXXV 
THE  BREAD  OF  LIFE 

MANY  people  had  stayed  near  the  shore 
in  the  hope  of  finding  Jesus  in  the 
morning.  They  knew  He  had  not 
gone  in  the  boat,  and  there  was  not  another  one 
on  that  side  of  the  lake,  yet  He  was  not  there. 
So  they  got  into  some  boats  that  had  been  driven 
ashore  by  the  storm,  and  crossed  over  again. 

At  last  they  found  Him.  He  was  teaching  in 
the  synagogue  at  Capernaum.  They  said  to 
Him,  "  Master,  how  didst  Thou  come  ?  " 

But  Jesus  did  not  tell  them  how  He  had  walked 
in  the  sea.  He  never  did  wonderful  things  or 
miracles  just  for  people  to  wonder  at.  He  saw 
that  they  were  seeking  Him  because  of  what 
they  hoped  to  get  from  Him  if  He  were  indeed 
the  King  Messiah. 

So  He  told  them,  "  Ye  seek  Me  not  because 
ye  saw  the  miracles  but  because  ye  did  eat  of  the 
loaves.  Labor  not  for  the  meat  that  perisheth, 
but  for  that  meat  which  endureth  unto  everlast- 
ing life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  will  give  you." 


82  The  Story  of  Jesus 

They  said,  "  What  shall  we  do,  that  we  might 
work  the  works  of  God  ?  " 

Jesus  said,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God  ;  to  be- 
lieve on  Him  whom  He  hath  sent." 

They  asked  Him,  "  What  sign  dost  Thou 
show  that  we  may  see,  and  believe  Thee  ?  Our 
fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  wilderness  " — He 
gave  them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat,  and  they 
thought  of  Moses,  who  had  led  the  people  out  of 
Egypt  to  Canaan  hundreds  of  years  before. 

Then  Jesus  told  them  that  the  manna  in  the 
wilderness  was  earthly  bread  for  the  body,  but 
God  was  giving  them  the  true  bread  which  would 
keep  the  soul  alive,  and  give  life  to  the  world. 

They  said,  "  Lord,  evermore  give  us  this 
bread." 

Jesus  said,  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life.  He  that 
Cometh  to  Me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth  on  Me  shall  never  thirst.  Ye  have  seen 
Me,  but  believe  not.  Him  that  cometh  to  Me  I 
will  in  nowise  cast  out." 

The  chief  Jews  murmured,  "  Is  not  this  Jesus, 
the  son  of  Joseph  ?  Doth  He  now  say,  I  am 
come  down  out  of  heaven  ?  " 

Jesus  knew  their  words,  and  He  told  them  that 
they  could  not  believe  because  they  would  not, 
but   that   every  one  who   had   learned    of  God 


The  Bread  of  Life  83 

would  come  to  Him.  He  would  give  Himself 
for  the  life  of  the  world. 

Many  of  the  disciples — not  the  twelve — said 
that  these  were  hard  sayings — who  could  believe 
them  ?  They  had  thought  that  Jesus  would  be 
a  great  leader  like  Moses  who  had  brought  the 
people  to  their  country  long  time  before,  and 
then  they  would  have  followed  Him,  They 
could  not  understand  that  God  had  sent  Him  to 
lead  them  to  a  better  kingdom. 

Jesus  knew  all  the  time  who  were  the  ones  who 
really  trusted  Him,  and  He  told  them  plainly 
again,  that  without  God  they  could  not  under- 
stand, and  would  not  come  to  Him. 

At  that  many  went  away,  and  walked  no  more 
with  Jesus.  He  said  to  His  twelve  truest  friends, 
"  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?  " 

Peter  spoke  out  boldly,  "  Lord,  to  whom  shall 
we  go  ?  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life,  and 
we  believe  and  are  sure  that  Thou  art  the  Holy 
One  of  God." 

But  Jesus  thought  how  even  among  the  twelve 
there  was  one  who  would  be  a  traitor,  and  His 
heart  was  sad. 

From  that  time  many  people  turned  away  from 
Him. 


84  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 
GOD'S  LAW  AND  TRADITION 

MANY  scribes  and  Pharisees  from 
Jerusalem,  where  they  were  most 
strict,  had  come  down  to  Gahlee  to 
watch  Jesus  and  to  find  out  His  teaching. 

They  found  fault  with  the  disciples  because 
they  did  not  always  wash  their  hands  before  eat- 
ing. This  was  the  strict  rule,  or  tradition  of  the 
rabbis,  who  were  always  much  afraid  of  mixing 
with  common  people  and  making  themselves  un- 
clean, as  it  was  called.  They  thought  that  if 
Jesus  were  a  true  teacher.  He  would  keep  Him- 
self apart  from  others,  and  His  disciples  too. 

Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Why  do  ye  sin  against 
God's  law  by  your  tradition  ?  Hypocrites,  you 
put  men's  teaching  before  the  commandment  of 
God." 

He  knew,  and  the  people  knew,  that  they 
thought  more  about  washing  hands  and  cups  and 
tables,  and  being  particular  about  meats  and 
drinks,  with  other  rules  of  the  same  sort,  than  of 


God's  Law  and  Tradition  85 

honoring  father  and  mother,  and  being  just  and 
kind  to  poor  people,  and  teaching  good  to  those 
who  did  not  know.  He  said  to  the  people, 
"  Hear  and  understand  :  nothing  that  goes  into 
the  mouth  can  defile  a  man  ;  but  what  comes  out 
of  the  mouth — that  defiles  a  man." 

When  the  people  were  gone  away,  and  He 
was  in  the  house,  the  disciples  said  to  Him, 
"  Knovvest  Thou  that  the  Pharisees  were  offended 
when  they  heard  this  saying  ?  " 

Jesus  answered,  "  They  are  blind  guides." 

"  Declare  to  us  this  parable,"  said  Peter. 

He  told  them  that  it  did  not  greatly  matter 
what  food  or  drink  was  taken  if  the  heart  is  pure 
and  good,  but  those  things  which  come  out  of 
the  mouth  come  from  the  heart ;  first,  evil 
thoughts  and  then  bad  words  and  wicked  deeds. 
These  are  the  things  that  make  a  man  unclean. 

The  Pharisees  thought  that  religion  need  only 
be  outward  for  men  to  see,  and  Jesus  taught 
that  God  wants  the  worship  of  the  heart. 


86  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 
THE  GREEK  WOMAN 

AND  Jesus  went  away  from  Galilee,  north, 
to  the  city  of  Tyre.  At  that  time  Tyre 
was  one  of  the  greatest  cities  in  the 
world.  It  stood  by  the  sea,  and  had  wide  streets 
with  houses  and  temples  of  marble.  The  mer- 
chants of  Tyre  were  very  rich,  and  their  ships 
carried  to  all  countries  beautiful  purple  and  fine 
linen,  and  the  other  precious  things  made  in  Tyre. 
But  the  people  were  very  wicked.  Most  of  them 
worshiped  the   gods  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans. 

Jesus  came  to  stay  at  a  house  near  the  city, 
and  He  hoped  that  no  one  would  find  out  where 
He  was. 

But  there  was  a  Greek  woman  in  the  city, 
whose  daughter  had  an  unclean  spirit,  as  they 
thought ;  that  is,  she  was  mad.  She  heard  that 
Jesus  was  there.  Although  she  worshiped  the 
Greek  gods  she  had  heard  of  the  young  Jew 
whom  many  of  His  own  people  said  was  the 
long  looked  for  Messiah,  and  how  He  was  able 


The  Greek  Woman  87 

to  cure  sick  people  and  to  send  away  evil  spirits. 
She  came  near  one  day  as  He  was  walking  with 
His  disciples,  and  called  to  Him,  "  Have  mercy 
upon  me,  O  Lord,  Son  of  David ;  my  daughter  is 
vexed  with  a  devil." 

But  He  walked  on  and  did  not  answer,  al- 
though she  kept  on  calling.  The  disciples  begged 
Him,  "  Send  her  away  for  she  crieth  after  us." 

They  were  afraid  that  a  crowd  would  come 
round,  as  at  home  in  Galilee,  and  why  should 
they  care  for  a  Gentile  woman  ? 

And  Jesus  said,  as  if  He  thought  as  they  did, 
"  I  am  not  sent  but  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel." 

But  the  woman  came  and  fell  at  His  feet  and 
prayed  Him  earnestly,  "  Lord,  help  me." 

He  said  to  her,  to  try  her  faith  still  more,  as  if 
He  were  like  other  Jews,  who  called  foreigners 
dogs,  "  It  is  not  meet  to  take^the  children's  bread 
and  throw  it  to  the  dogs." 

But  she  answered,  "  Truth,  Lord,  yet  the  dogs 
under  the  table  eat  of  the  children's  crumbs." 

He  was  glad  to  see  her  so  humble  and  earnest, 
and  He  praised  her  kindly.  *•  Oh,  woman,  great 
is  thy  faith.  Be  it  unto  thee  as  thou  wilt,"  He 
said. 

She  went  home  quickly,  and  found  her  daugh- 


88  The  Story  of  Jesus 

ter  lying  on  her  bed  quite  still,  with  the  madness 
gone.  Jesus  had  cured  the  girl  because  of  her 
mother's  courage  and  faith. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 
THE  VISION  ON  THE  MOUNT 

JESUS  began  to  tell  His  disciples  that  one 
day  He  should  be  taken  by  the  scribes  and 
priests  and  be  killed,  and  the  third  day  He 
should  rise  again. 

He  said  to  them  all,  "  If  any  man  will  come 
after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 
cross  daily,  and  follow  Me." 

For  no  one  can  follow  Jesus  who  is  not  willing 
to  do  hard  things  for  His  sake.  That  is  cross 
bearing. 

Eight  days  after  this,  Jesus  went  up  the  hill  to 
pray  at  evening  time,  and  took  with  Him  Peter 
and  James  and  John.  The  three  disciples  were 
tired,  so  they  lay  down,  and  fell  asleep.  But  soon 
they  awoke,  and  looked  for  Jesus.  He  had  been 
praying.  His  face  was  changed  and  shining,  and 
His  dress  looked  glistening  white.  Two  men 
were  talking  with  Him,  whom  they  knew  to  be 
Moses  and  Elijah,  the  two  great  prophets  of  the 


The  Vision  on  the  Mount  89 

Old  Testament.  They  had  come  to  tell  Jesus 
about  the  death  He  should  die  at  Jerusalem. 

Peter  and  the  two  others  were  only  half  awake, 
and  as  they  looked  and  listened  they  were  afraid. 
Then  Peter  spoke  out,  though  he  hardly  knew 
what  he  was  saying,  "  Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to 
be  here :  let  us  make  three  tents,  one  for  Thee, 
and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elijah."  Then 
a  bright  cloud  overshadowed  them,  and  they  fell 
on  their  faces  in  fear  as  they  heard  a  voice  which 
said,  "  This  is  My  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased ;  hear  Him."  Not  Moses  or  Elijah, 
— there  is  none  so  great  as  Jesus. 

And  as  they  lay  trembhng,  some  one  came 
and  touched  them  and  said,  "  Arise,  and  be  not 
afraid."  So  they  looked  up,  and  found  that  the 
glory  and  the  vision  had  gone  by,  and  they  were 
alone  with  Jesus  on  the  hill. 

As  they  came  down  the  hill  He  charged  them 
to  tell  no  one  the  vision,  but  to  keep  it  secret 
till  "  He  was  risen  from  the  dead." 

And  they  wondered  what  He  meant  by  the 
"  rising  from  the  dead." 

At  the  foot  of  the  hill  was  a  great  crowd,  in 
the  middle  of  which  stood  the  other  disciples 
with  some  scribes  who  were  asking  them  ques- 
tions that  they  could  not  answer. 


90  The  Story  of  Jesus 

When  the  people  saw  Jesus,  they  were  aston- 
ished, for  His  face  shone  from  the  vision  and 
they  ran  up  to  Him  and  welcomed  Him. 

He  was  sorry  for  His  troubled  followers,  and 
asked  the  scribes,  "  What  question  ye  with 
them?' 

And  a  man  kneic  down  before  Him,  who  said, 
♦'  Master,  I  brought  to  Thee  my  son,  who  has  a 
dumb  spirit,  and  suffers  grievously,  and  I  spoke 
to  Thy  disciples  that  they  should  cast  it  out,  and 
they  could  not." 

Jesus  said,  "  Oh,  faithless  generation,  how  long 
shall  I  be  with  you?  How  long  shall  I  suffer 
you?     Bring  him  to  Me." 

So  they  brought  the  boy,  but  he  fell  senseless 
on  the  ground  in  one  of  his  fits. 

Jesus  asked  the  father  how  long  he  had  been 
so.  The  father  said,  "  From  a  child.  If  Thou 
canst  do  anything,  have  compassion  on  us,  and 
help  us." 

Since  the  disciples  had  failed,  the  poor  man  could 
hardly  believe  that  even  Jesus  could  cure  his  boy. 

But  Jesus  always  wanted  trust  before  He 
would  cure,  and  He  answered  the  father,  "  If 
thou  canst !  All  things  are  possible  to  him  that 
believeth."  The  boy's  father  cried  out  with 
tears,  "  I  do  believe,  help  Thou  my  unbelief." 


Who  Is  the  Greatest?  91 

Then  Jesus  spoke  to  the  screaming,  struggling 
boy,  and  cured  him  by  His  word.  For  a  while 
he  lay  still  on  the  ground,  and  the  people  began 
to  say,  "  He  is  dead."  But  Jesus  took  his  hand, 
and  lifted  him  up,  and  gave  him  back  to  his 
father.  Then  every  one  wondered  at  His  great 
power. 

When  they  were  alone,  the  disciples  asked 
Jesus,  "  Why  could  not  we  cast  it  out?"  And 
He  told  them,  "  Because  of  your  little  faith." 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 
WHO  IS  THE   GREATEST? 

THE  day  when  Jesus  came  back  to  Ca- 
pernaum, the  collectors  of  the  tribute 
money  came  to  Peter,  and  asked  him, 
"  Does  not  your  Master  pay  tribute  ?  " 
Peter  said,  "  Yes." 

The  tribute  was  the  half  shekel  paid  every  year 
by  all  the  men  for  the  service  of  the  Temple.  It 
was  sometimes  called  ransom  money,  for  it  was 
a  token  that  each  man  needed  a  ransom  for  his 
soul  to  God. 

But  Jesus  did  not  need  to  pay  ransom,  for  He 
was  the  Son  of  God  who  was  to  give  His  own 


92  The  Story  of  Jesus 

life  as  a  ransom  for  many.  He  Himself  was  the 
Ransom ;  and  Peter  had  made  a  mistake.  He 
had  no  money  either,  so  he  went  to  tell  Jesus. 
Before  he  had  said  a  word,  Jesus  asked  him, 
"  What  thinkest  thou,  Simon  ?  Do  the  kings  of 
the  earth  take  tribute  of  their  own  children,  or 
of  strangers  ?  " 

Peter  answered,  •'  Of  strangers." 
Jesus  said,  "  Then  the  children  are  free." 
He  wanted  Peter  to  understand  that  the  Son 
of  God  should  not  pay  ransom  for  Himself. 
Then  He  added,  "  Since  it  may  vex  them,  go 
thou  to  the  sea  and  cast  a  hook.  In  the  mouth 
of  the  first  fish  that  comes  up  shall  be  a  piece  of 
money.     Give  it  unto  them  for  thee  and  Me." 

When  they  were  all  together  in  the  house, 
Jesus  asked  His  disciples,  "  What  v/ere  ye  rea- 
soning in  the  way  ?  " 

They  were  silent,  for  they  were  ashamed  to 
say  that  they  had  been  disputing  about  who 
should  be  chief  among  them. 

Then  He  sat  down,  and  called  them  to  Him^ 
and  told  them,  "  If  any  man  desire  to  be  first,  he 
shall  be  last  of  all,  and  servant  of  all."  And 
taking  a  little  child  who  was  there  in  His  arms, 
He  told  them  again  plainly,  "  Except  ye  turn  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into 


Who  Is  the  Greatest?  93 

the  kingdom  of  heaven.  "Whosoever  shall  hum- 
ble himself  as  this  little  child,  is  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Whosoever  shall  receive 
one  of  such  little  children  in  My  name,  receiveth 
Me,  and  whosoever  shall  cause  one  of  these  little 
ones,  which  believe  in  Me,  to  stumble,  it  were 
better  for  him  that  he  were  drowned  deep  in  the 
sea." 

And  John  said,  "  Master,  we  saw  one  casting 
out  devils  in  Thy  name,  and  we  forbade  him, 
because  he  did  not  come  with  us." 

Jesus  said,  "  Forbid  him  not :  he  that  is  not 
against  us  is  for  us.  And  whosoever  shall  give 
you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in  My  name,  be- 
cause ye  are  Christ's,  shall  in  nowise  lose  his  re- 
ward. If  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 

Then  He  told  them  how  many  hindrances  to 
a  good  life  there  are  in  the  world.  "  Woe,"  He 
said,  "  to  that  man  through  whom  the  hindrance 
comes." 

Anything  that  hinders  from  serving  God,  any 
habit,  any  tie,  must  be  put  away.  To  do  it  may 
be  like  cutting  off  a  right  hand,  but  it  is  better 
to  enter  the  kingdom  of  God  and  give  up  things 
as  precious  as  a  right  hand,  than  to  keep  the 
precious  things,  and  be  cast  away. 


94  The  Story  of  Jesus 

"  Be  at  peace  among  yourselves,"  said  Jesus. 

Peter  said  to  Him,  "  Lord,  how  often  shall  my 
brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ? 
Seven  times  ?  " 

To  Peter  seven  times  seemed  a  great  many, 
but  Jesus  told  him,  "  Not  until  seven  times,  but 
until  seventy  times  seven,"  that  is,  always. 

And  He  told  them  a  story  of  a  wicked  servant 
whose  master  forgave  him  a  big  debt,  but  who 
had  no  pity  on  his  fellow  servant  who  owed  him 
a  small  debt.     And  his  master  was  angry. 

So  said  Jesus,  "  If  you  do  not  forgive  your 
brother  from  your  heart,  God  will  not  forgive 
you." 


CHAPTER  XL 
JESUS  AT  THE  FEAST  OF  TABERNACLES 

THE  Feast  of  Tabernacles  was  one  of  the 
three  great  yearly  feasts  of  the  Jews. 
It  was  held  in  October,  after  harvest, 
so  it  was  often  called  the  "  Feast  of  Ingathering," 
and  was  a  most  joyful  time. 

The  people  left  their  houses  for  Httle  booths 
made  of  branches  of  olive  and  palm,  and  pine 
and  myrtle.     These  were  put  up  on  the  roofs  or 


Jesus  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles     95 

outside  the  city  walls,  and  were  in  remembrance 
of  the  tents  in  which  the  Israelites  lived  on  their 
journey  through  the  desert.  Every  one  carried 
a  palm  branch,  or  one  of  willow  or  citron. 

The  brothers  of  Jesus — the  sons  of  Mary  and 
Joseph — said  to  Him,  "  Depart  hence,  and  go 
into  Judaea  that  Thy  disciples  may  see  Thy  works 
which  Thou  doest.  Show  Thyself  to  the  world." 
Even  His  brothers  did  not  believe  on  Him. 

Jesus  answered,  •'  My  time  is  not  yet  come." 
And  He  stayed  a  while  behind  in  Galilee. 

At  Jerusalem  people  looked  for  Him,  and 
asked,  "  Where  is  He  ?  "  They  spoke  of  Him 
to  one  another.  Some  said,  "  He  is  a  good 
man ; "  and  others,  "  Not  so ;  He  deceives  the 
people."  This  was  all  said  quietly  for  fear  of 
the  rulers,  who  were  waiting  their  time  to  take 
Jesus,  and  to  put  Him  to  death,  which  made 
many  afraid  to  say  that  they  were  His  friends. 

One  day,  about  the  middle  of  the  feast,  those 
who  went  up  to  the  Temple  found  Him  sitting 
in  one  of  the  courts,  teaching.  They  wondered 
as  they  listened.  "  How  knoweth  this  man  let- 
ters, having  never  learned  ?  "  they  said,  meaning 
the  learning  of  the  rabbis. 

Jesus  answered,  "  My  teaching  is  not  Mine, 
but  His   that  sent  Me.     If  any  man  be  willing 


96  The  Story  of  Jesus  ^ 

to  do  His  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  teach- 
ing.    .     .     .     Why  seek  ye  to  kill  Me  ?  " 

"  Thou  hast  a  devil ;  who  seeks  to  kill  Thee  ?  " 
they  replied.  Yet  they  knew  that  Jesus  spoke 
truth,  but  they  were  angry  that  He  should  see 
into  their  false  hearts.  They  did  not  want  God's 
teaching,  so  they  pretended  that  He  came  from 
the  evil  one. 

Many  of  the  Jerusalem  people  were  surprised 
that  the  rulers  did  not  take  Him.  They  said, 
"  Can  it  be  that  the  rulers  know  that  this  is  the 
Christ  ?  But  we  know  this  man,  and  no  one  will 
know  where  the  Christ  comes  from." 

Jesus  told  them  as  He  taught,  that  they 
thought  they  knew  all  about  Him,  and  yet  He 
had  come  from  One  of  whom  they  knew  noth- 
ing. When  He  said  that,  they  would  have  taken 
Him  had  they  been  able ;  but  His  time  had  not 
come,  and  many  believed  Him  Messiah. 

The  Pharisees  and  chief  priests  sent  officers  to 
take  Him.  Jesus  saw  them  as  they  stood  among 
the  people  who  were  listening  to  Him,  and  He 
thought  how  soon  He  would  be  in  their  power. 

"  Yet  a  little  while  I  am  with  you,  and  I  go  to 
Him  that  sent  Me,"  He  said. 

Every  day  of  the  feast,  a  priest  went  to  the 
Pool  of  Siloam  and  brought  a  jar  of  water  from 


Jesus  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles 


97 


it  to  the  Temple,  where  he  poured  it  out  by  the 
Altar  of  Sacrifice,  while  the  people  shouted  and 
were  glad  for  joy  of  the  water  drawing.  For 
water  is  precious  in  hot  countries. 

On  the  last  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  Him- 
self stood  there,  and  called  out,  as  the  water-car- 
riers do, '«  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto 
Me,  and  drink." 

In  the  crowd  around,  some  said,  '•  This  is  the 
prophet,"  others,  "  This  is  the  Christ,"  while 
many  objected,  "  What,  doth  the  Christ  come 
out  of  Galilee  ?  The  Christ  cometh  of  David,  and 
from  Bethlehem,  the  village  where  David  was." 

So  they  disputed,  but  no  one  dared  to  touch 
Jesus,  not  even  the  officers  from  the  Pharisees. 
They  went  back  to  the  Council,  and  when  the 
chief  priests  said,  "  Why  have  ye  not  brought 
Him?"  they  rephed,  "Never  man  spake  like 
this  man." 

The  Pharisees  said  to  them,  "  Are  ye  also  led 
astray?  Hath  any  of  the  rulers  believed  on 
Him,  or  of  the  Pharisees  ?  "  They  meant  that 
only  the  ignorant,  common  people  would  believe 
on  Jesus.  Then  Nicodemus,  one  of  the  Council 
and  a  friend  of  Jesus  in  secret,  said,  "  Doth  our 
law  judge  a  man  without  hearing  him,  and  know- 
ing his  works  ?  " 


98  The  Story  of  Jesus 

They  said,  "  Art  thou  also  of  Gahlee  ?  Search 
and  look,  for  out  of  Galilee  comes  no  prophet." 
And  the  Council  rose  and  went  home,  while  Jesus 
went  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  just  outside  the 
city  wall. 

The  Pharisees  believed  themselves  so  wise  that 
they  would  not  take  the  trouble  to  find  out  the 
truth  about  Jesus.  All  the  time  they  were  ignorant 
and  blind  ;  they  might  have  found  out  that  this 
was  the  Son  of  David  who  had  been  born  in 
Bethlehem  as  the  prophets  said. 


CHAPTER  XLI 
THE  SINFUL  WOMAN  OF  JERUSALEM 

NEXT  morning,  when  Jesus  was  sitting 
in  the  Temple  court,  and  talking 
to  the  people  who  were  there,  some 
scribes  and  Pharisees  brought  a  woman,  who  had 
been    caught  doing  wrong,  before   Him. 

They  said,  "  Master,  this  woman  has  been  taken 
in  sin,  .  .  .  and  Moses  in  the  law  commanded 
that  such  could  be  stoned  :  what  then  sayest 
Thou  ?  " 

Jesus  stooped  down,  and  wrote  with  His 
finger  on  the  ground,  as  if  He  did  not  hear.     But 


The  Sinful  Woman  of  Jerusalem     99 

when  they  kept  on  asking  Him,  He  looked  up 
at  them  and  answered,  "  He  that  is  without  sin 
among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her." 
And  stooping  down.  He  wrote  upon  the  ground 
again.  He  was  ashamed  for  the  men  who  had 
no  shame  for  themselves.  He  knew,  as  they  did, 
that  if  this  woman  had  sinned,  they  had  shared 
in  her  sin.  If  the  law  of  Moses  should  be  kept, 
who  among  them  would  dare  to  throw  stones  at 
that  woman  ? 

When  they  heard  the  words  of  Jesus,  even 
these  bad  men  were  cut  to  the  heart.  They  felt 
so  ashamed  that  they  went  out  one  by  one,  from 
the  eldest  to  the  last. 

When  they  had  all  gone,  and  Jesus  was  alone 
with  the  woman,  who  stood  trembling  and  afraid 
to  Hft  up  her  face.  He  said  to  her,  "  Woman, 
where  are  they  ?     Did  no  man  condemn  thee  ?  " 

She  said,  "  No  man,  Lord." 

And  because  she  was  already  so  full  of  sorrow 
for  her  sin.  He  said,  "  Neither  do  I  condemn 
thee  :  go  thy  way  ;  from  henceforth  sin  no  more." 

Soon  afterward,  as  He  was  standing  by  the 
great  lamps  in  the  court,  Jesus  said,  "  I  am  the 
Light  of  the  world ;  he  that  foUoweth  Me  shall 
not  walk  in  darkness  but  shall  have  the  light  of 
life." 


loo  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Darkness  is  sin  and  ignorance,  and  light  is  to 
Hve  as  Jesus  taught.  He  is  Life  itself  to  His 
learners. 

The  Pharisees  said  that  He  told  lies.  "  Where 
is  Thy  Father  ? "  they  asked.  Jesus  said  that 
they  could  not  know  His  Father.  They  were 
like  the  darkness,  which  is  opposite  to  light. 
Except  they  believed  in  Him,  they  must  die  in 
sin,  and  He  told  them  how  the  Father  was  with 
Him,  •'  for  I  do  always  the  things  that  please 
Him." 

As  He  said  these  words,  many  could  not  help 
believing  Him  to  be  a  wonderful  teacher  sent  by 
God,  but  when  He  told  them  that  His  disciples 
must  be  faithful  and  true,  and  then  they  would  be 
free,  they  were  angry. 

"  We  are  children  of  Abraham,  and  have 
always  been  free,"  they  told  Him. 

Jesus  said  that  He  was  greater  than  Abraham. 
"  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am,"  He  said.  That 
is.  He  had  been  God  forever. 

Then  they  took  up  the  loose  stones  in  the 
court  to  throw  them  at  Him,  but  His  time  to  die 
was  not  come,  and  He  went  away  through  the 
crowd,  unhurt. 


The  Blind  Man  and  the  Pharisees     loi 

CHAPTER  XLII 

THE  BLIND  MAN  AND  THE  PHARISEES 

THERE  was  a  blind  man  in  Jerusalem 
who  sat  every  day  at  the  side  of  the 
street  and  begged.  As  He  went  by 
one  Sabbath  Jesus  saw  him  there.  The  Jews 
always  thought  that  disease  and  sickness  were 
punishment  for  sin,  and  so  the  disciples  asked 
Jesus  who  had  done  wrong, — the  man  or  his 
parents  ? 

Jesus  told  them,  "Not  so," — that  now  the 
poor  beggar  should  show  forth  the  works  of  God. 
♦'  While  I  am  in  the  world,  I  am  the  Light  of  the 
world,"  He  said. 

He  made  clay,  and  put  it  on  the  man's  eyes, 
and  told  him,  "  Go,  wash  in  the  Pool  of  Siloam." 

These  two  things  were  to  help  the  man  to 
trust  Him,  for  people  believed  then  that  clay  was 
good  for  bad  eyes,  and  that  the  water  of  the 
Pool  of  Siloam  cured  sick  people. 

The  blind  man  did  as  Jesus  told  him,  and  his 
eyes  were  made  to  see. 

The  neighbors  could  hardly  believe  that  it  was 
the  blind  man  who  begged  by  the  wayside  when 


102  The  Story  of  Jesus 

they  saw  him,  so  he  told  them  how  Jesus  had 
cured  him. 

The  neighbors  took  the  man  to  the  Council, 
and  there  he  had  to  tell  the  story  again.  The 
Pharisees  disputed  about  it.  Some  of  them  said 
that  as  Jesus  had  done  this  on  the  Sabbath,  He 
could  not  be  a  good  man.  Others  objected  that 
a  bad  man  could  never  be  able  to  do  such  won- 
derful works. 

They  asked  the  man  what  he  thought,  and  he 
said,  "  He  is  a  prophet." 

Then  they  doubted  that  the  man  had  ever  been 
really  blind,  and  sent  for  his  parents  to  ask  them. 

"  Is  this  your  son  ?  How  does  he  now  see  ?  " 
they  asked. 

The  parents  were  afraid  to  say  anything  about 
the  matter.  They  repeated  that  the  man  was 
truly  their  son  who  had  been  born  blind;  but 
that  they  knew  nothing  more. 

"Ask  him,  he  shall  speak  for  himself,"  said 
they,  for  they  did  not  want  to  be  turned  away 
from  their  synagogue,  as  the  chief  Jews  had 
agreed  to  do  to  any  who  confessed  Jesus  to  be 
Christ. 

Then  the  man  was  called  again. 

"  Give  God  the  praise ;  we  know  this  man  is  a 
sinner,"  they  told  him. 


The  Blind  Man  and  the  Pharisees     103 

The  man  replied,  "  Whether  He  is  a  sinner,  I 
know  not ;  one  thing  I  know ;  .  .  .  I  was 
blind,  now  I  see,  ...  If  this  man  were  not 
of  God,  He  could  do  nothing." 

And  they  were  angry.  "  Dost  thou  teach 
us  ?  "  they  exclaimed,  and  they  thrust  him  out- 
side. 

Jesus  heard  what  the  rulers  had  done,  and  He 
found  the  man,  and  asked  him,  "  Dost  thou  be- 
lieve on  the  Son  of  God  ?  " 

"  Who  is  He,  Lord,  that  I  might  believe  in 
Him?" 

"  It  is  He  that  speaketh  with  thee." 

"  Lord,  I  believe,"  and  the  man  worshiped  Him. 

And  when  the  Pharisees  were  listening  to  Jesus 
soon  after.  He  told  them  that  He  was  come  for 
judgment.  Those  who  did  not  see  were  given 
sight,  but  those  who  did  see  should  be  made 
Wind. 

They  said  with  scorn,  "  Are  we  also  blind  ?  " 

They  did  not  know  that  they  were  blind  to  the 
goodness  and  truth  of  Jesus,  and  that  the  poor 
blind  man  who  had  begged  in  the  street  knew 
better  than  they  did. 

They  were  blind  leaders  of  the  people,  and  like 
the  false  shepherds  of  whom  Jesus  began  to  tell 
them  in  a  parable. 


104  '^^^  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  is  the  Good  Shepherd.  His  sheep  know 
His  voice,  and  He  calls  them,  and  leads  them, 
and  gives  His  hfe  for  them.  He  will  gather  all 
His  sheep  into  one  flock,  and  God  has  given  Him 
power  to  take  up  His  life  again. 

But  the  people  said,  "  He  has  a  devil,  and  is 
mad."  Only  a  few  questioned,  "  Could  a  devil 
open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ?  " 

So  Jesus  went  away  from  Jerusalem. 


CHAPTER  XLin 
THE  MISSION  OF  THE  SEVENTY 

NOW  Jesus  came  back  to  Galilee,  but  it 
was  only  to  say  good-bye.  For  the 
time  was  nearly  come  that  the  Lord 
should  give  up  His  life  and  be  crucified,  and  this 
last  great  act  was  ever  in  His  mind. 

The  people  of  His  own  city,  Capernaum,  and 
of  the  country  round  the  lake  would  see  Him  no 
more.  They  had  listened  to  His  wonderful 
words,  and  had  brought  their  sick  to  be  healed, 
and  yet  they  would  not  have  Him  for  their  Mes- 
siah, or  belong  to  His  heavenly  kingdom. 

Jesus  in  His  grace  came  among  them  to  call 
them  once  more. 


The  Mission  of  the  Seventy       105 

He  called  to  Him  seventy  men  who  loved  Him, 
and  believed  Him,  and  sent  them  two  and  two 
into  the  towns  and  villages  where  He  Himself 
would  come. 

"  The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto 
you,"  was  to  be  their  message  to  the  sick  who 
should  be  healed,  and  to  all  the  people. 

Then  He  said.  Woe  to  the  towns  which  would 
not  listen,  and  turn  from  their  wicked  works. 
Their  land  should  be  desolate,  and  the  cities  cast 
down  to  the  ground,  because  they  did  not  know 
their  Lord  in  those  days  when  He  came  to  them. 
John  says,  "  He  came  unto  His  own,  and  His 
own  received  Him  not."  Yet  He  lingered  there 
a  little  while. 

One  Sabbath  He  was  in  the  synagogue.  A 
poor  woman,  so  bent  that  she  could  hardly  lift 
herself  up,  was  there.  She  had  been  so  for  eight- 
een years,  and  did  not  expect  ever  to  be  well 
again. 

But  Jesus  saw  her.  He  called  her  to  Him,  and 
when  He  laid  His  hands  on  her  she  was  straight 
again.  She  began  to  praise  God  for  her  cure. 
But  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue  said  to  the  people 
angrily,  "  There  are  six  days  in  which  men  ought 
to  work  ;  in  them  come  and  be  healed,  and  not 
on  the  Sabbath  day." 


"lo6  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  answered  him,  "  Hypocrite,  doth  not 
each  one  of  you  take  his  ox  or  his  ass  to  the 
water,  and  ought  not  this  woman  to  be  loosed 
from  this  bond  on  the  Sabbath  day  ?  "  Then 
His  enemies  were  ashamed,  but  the  people  were 
glad. 

One  day  while  Jesus  was  praying,  the  disciples 
came  and  asked  Him,  "  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray." 

And  He  taught  them  the  prayer  which  begins, 
"  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven."  The  Lord 
always  wanted  His  disciples  to  go  to  the  great 
God  as  to  a  father.  He  said,  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be 
given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find;  knock,  and  it 
shall  be  opened  unto  you." 

And  so  He  went  slowly  on  His  way  to  Jerusa- 
lem, teaching  in  the  villages  as  He  passed. 

As  He  came  near  one  village,  ten  men  who 
were  lepers  met  Him.  They  did  not  dare  come 
near,  so  they  stood  still,  and  called  loudly  to  Him, 
"  Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on  us." 

He  told  them,  "  Go,  show  yourselves  to  the 
priests,"  for  the  law  was  that  the  priests  must  de- 
cide whether  a  leper  were  really  cured.  As  they 
went,  they  found  that  they  were  cured.  And 
one  of  them,  a  Samaritan,  ran  back  praising  God, 
and  knelt  down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  to  thank  Him. 

Jesus  said,  "  Were  there  not  ten  cleansed,  but 


"Who  Is  My  Neighbor?"         107 

where  are  the  nine  ?  "  It  was  only  the  despised 
Samaritan  who  had  come  back  to  thank  his 
Healer. 

"  Arise,  go  thy  way  ;  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole,"  He  said  to  the  man. 

And  when  the  seventy  preachers  came  back  to 
Him  as  He  went  along,  they  were  full  of  joy. 

"  Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  to  us 
through  Thy  name,"  they  said.  Jesus  was  glad 
with  them  but  He  told  them  that  power  to  do 
great  works  is  not  the  chief  thing.  "  Rather  re- 
joice that  your  names  are  written  in  heaven." 


CHAPTER  XLIV 

"WHO  IS  MY  NEIGHBOR.?"     THE  GOOD 
PART 

A  LAWYER,  who  understood  the  law  of 
Moses,  came  up  one  day  to  puzzle  Jesus 
if  he  could. 
"  Master,  what  shall  I   do  to   inherit  eternal 
life  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  What  is  written  in  the  law  ?     How  readest 
thou?"  said  Jesus. 

He   answered,  "  To   love  God  perfectly,  and 
one's  neighbor  as  oneself." 


lo8  The  Story  of  Jesus 

•'  Thou  hast  answered  right;  this  do,  and  thou 
shalt  live,"  said  Jesus. 

"  And  who  is  my  neighbor  ?  "  inquired  the 
lawyer,  who  had  never  troubled  much  about  him 
before. 

And  Jesus  told  him  the  story  of  the  Good 
Samaritan,  which  Luke  has  written  in  his  Gospel. 

A  traveler  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho  was  set 
upon  by  highway  robbers,  who  took  his  money 
from  him,  and  left  him  by  the  roadside,  bleeding, 
and  almost  dead.  And  by  chance,  a  priest  from 
Jerusalem  came  down  that  way,  and  afterward  a 
Levite,  but  though  it  was  their  office  to  help 
people  they  both  left  the  bleeding  man  to  die. 
But  at  last,  a  Samaritan  came  along  with  his 
ass,  and  he  had  pity  on  him,  and  took  care  of 
him. 

Jesus  asked  the  lawyer,  "  Which  one  was 
neighbor  to  him  that  fell  among  the  thieves  ?  " 

"  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him,"  was  the 
answer. 

"  Go  thou,  and  do  likewise,"  said  Jesus, 

A  little  way  from  Jerusalem,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  was  the  village  of  Bethany. 
Two  sisters,  named  Martha  and  Mary,  hved  there 
with    their   brother   Lazarus.     Jesus   knew   and 


"  Who  Is  My  Neighbor  ?  "         109 

loved  all  three,  and  often  came  to  their  house 
when  He  was  at  Jerusalem,  or  near  by. 

They  were  joyful  days  when  He  came,  and 
Martha  who  was  mistress  put  the  house  in  great 
order.  She  worked  hard,  and  prepared  a  great 
deal  to  eat  and  drink,  and  got  very  hot  and  tired. 
But  Mary  loved  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  to 
listen  while  He  talked. 

One  day,  Martha  had  so  much  work  that  she 
wanted  to  do,  that  she  came  to  Jesus  to  com- 
plain of  Mary. 

She  was  almost  angry  that  He  did  not  send 
Mary  to  help.  She  said,  "  Lord,  dost  Thou  not 
care  that  my  sister  has  left  me  to  serve  alone  ? 
Bid  her  that  she  help  me." 

And  Jesus  was  sorry  that  Martha  should  spoil 
everything  that  she  had  done  with  her  bad  tem- 
per. It  was  a  pity  to  do  too  much.  He  said  to 
her,  '•  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  careful  and  trou- 
bled about  many  things,  but  one  thing  is  need- 
ful." Did  He  mean  that  one  dish  of  food  was 
enough  to  prepare  for  the  guests  ?  That  is  all 
that  is  put  on  the  table  at  once,  in  the  East. 

Then  He  added,  "  Mary  has  chosen  the  good 
part  that  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." 

The  good  part  is  to  feed  on  the  bread  of  life, 
and  not  to  care  for  so  many  things  for  the  body. 


no  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XLV 

BLESSING  THE  CHILDREN.     THE  GREAT 
REFUSAL 

ONE  day  Jesus  was  teaching  in  the  open 
air  in  the  country  beyond  the  j  ordan, — 
for  He  went  that  way  toward  Jerusalem. 
The  disciples  and  many  people  were  listening, 
and  the  Pharisees  were  asking  questions.  And 
to  the  edge  of  the  crowd  came  some  women. 
They  had  brought  their  children,  even  the  little 
ones,  that  the  kind  Master  might  put  His  hands 
on  them,  and  pray  for  them.  But  the  disciples 
would  not  let  them  come  near,  and  spoke  sharply 
to  the  mothers.  They  did  not  think  that  Jesus 
ought  to  be  troubled  with  the  children.  Jesus 
saw  what  they  did.  He  was  angry  with  the  dis- 
ciples, and  pleased  with  the  mothers. 

"  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  Me, 
and  forbid  them  not ;  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  He  said. 

He  had  them  come  close  to  Him,  and  took 
them  in  His  arms,  and  put  His  hands  on  them, 
and  blessed  them. 

Jesus  is  the  children's  Friend. 


•SUFFER   LITTLE  CHILDREN   TO  COME  UNTO  ME' 


Blessing  the  Children  1 1 1 

And  there  was  a  young  ruler  who  had  listened 
to  Jesus,  and  felt  sure  that  He  was  a  great  rabbi. 
He  had  learned  the  law  when  he  was  a  boy,  and 
he  wanted  to  go  far  in  everything  good.  Per- 
haps this  rabbi  would  teach  him  something 
more  than  the  others,  he  thought. 

He  ran  up  to  Jesus  in  the  way,  and  knelt 
before  Him,  and  asked,  "  Good  Master,  what 
shall  I  do  that  I  may  have  eternal  hfe  ?  " 

Jesus  said,  "  Why  dost  thou  call  Me  good  ? 
Only  God  is  good."  For  He  knew  that  the 
young  man  did  not  yet  believe  Him  to  be  the 
Son  of  God,  but  only  a  great  teacher.  "  If 
thou  wilt  enter  into  hfe,  keep  the  command- 
ments," He  went  on. 

"All  these  things  have  I  kept;  what  lack  I 
yet?"  the  young  ruler  said,  for  he  fully  be- 
lieved that  he  had. 

And  Jesus  looked  at  him,  and  loved  him. 
"  One  thing  thou  lackest:  if  thou  wilt  be  perfect, 
sell  all  that  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and 
come,  take  up  the  cross,  and  follow  Me." 

When, the  young  ruler  heard  that,  he  was  sad, 
for  he  was  very  rich. 

Jesus  looked  again  at  him,  and  said,  "  How 
hard  it  is  for  them  that  have  riches  to  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven." 


1 1 2  The  Story  of  Jesus 

And  he  went  away  with  a  heavy  heart,  for  he 
would  have  given  up  much, — but  not  all, — to 
follow  Jesus.  And  so  he  lost  the  great  chance 
of  his  life,  and  chose  earthly  good  rather  than 
Jesus,  and  the  cross  for  His  sake. 

And  Jesus  looked  after  him  as  he  went  away, 
and  then  round  on  His  own  disciples,  and  said, 
•'  How  hard  shall  it  be  for  them  that  have  riches 
to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  !  "  And  when 
they  were  astonished  at  His  words  He  repeated, 
"  Children,  how  hard  it  is  for  them  that  trust  in 
riches  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  !  " 

"  Who  then  can  be  saved  ?  "  they  said  among 
themselves,  for  they  could  not  help  thinking  that 
the  rich  and  the  great  had  the  best  chance. 
And  He  looked  at  them  again.  "  With  men  it 
is  impossible,"  He  said ;  "  but  not  with  God,  for 
with  God  all  things  are  possible." 

So  Peter  began  to  say,  "  Lo,  we  have  left  all, 
and  followed  Thee;  what  shall  we  have?" 

Jesus  said  that  there  was  no  one  who  had  left 
anything  for  Him  but  should  receive  much  more 
again,  both  now,  and  in  the  life  to  come.  But 
many  that  are  last  shall  be  first,  and  the  first  last. 

He  told  them  the  parable  of  the  "  Laborers  in 
the  Vineyard,"  which  shows  how  God  will  reward 
all  who   serve  Him  well,  be  the  time  long  or 


On  the  Other  Side  of  Jordan       113 

short;  for  the  laborers  had  each  their  wages. 
But  it  is  mean  to  serve  God  for  what  He  will 
give  us. 


CHAPTER  XLVI 

ON  THE  OTHER  SIDE  OF  JORDAN,  AND  IN 
SOLOMON'S    PORCH 

AND  Jesus  went  on  His  way.  Among 
the  crowd  with  Him,  some  were  dis- 
ciples who  wanted  Him  to  proclaim 
Himself  Messiah,  that  they  might  share  His  glory 
and  rewards. 

But  He  turned  to  them  and  said,  "  Whosoever 
doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  Me,  can- 
not be  My  disciple."  For  He  knew  that  they 
had  not  counted  the  cost  of  serving  Him,  In- 
stead of  glory,  there  was  shame  to  be  faced,  and 
following  Jesus  meant  being  willing  to  die  for 
Him. 

One  Sabbath  in  Perea,  a  Pharisee  asked  Him  to 
his  house.  Among  the  crowd  who  stood  to 
watch  the  feast  was  a  man  who  had  dropsy. 

Jesus  said  to  the  lawyers  and  Pharisees  who 
were  there,  "  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabbath 
day  ?  " 


114  '1^^  Story  of  Jesus 

And  they  would  not  answer. 

Jesus  took  the  man,  and  cured  him.  He  said 
to  them,  "  Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ox  or  an 
ass  fallen  in  a  pit,  and  will  not  pull  him  out  on 
the  Sabbath  day  ?  "  And  they  could  not  answer 
Him. 

He  saw  how  every  one  was  anxious  to  have 
the  best  seats  at  the  meal,  and  He  said  that  it 
was  better  to  take  the  lowest  places,  because 
those  who  are  humble  shall  have  more  honor 
than  the  proud. 

Make  feasts  for  the  poor  and  feeble,  He  said ; 
they  cannot  reward  you,  but  God  will. 

And  He  told  them  the  story  of  "  the  Great  Sup- 
per," which  shows  how  God  will  always  be  first, 
and  how  the  men,  who  had  excuses  when  they 
were  called  to  the  feast,  were  shut  out  at  last. 

Another  day,  when  the  worst  people  of  the 
place  came  to  listen  to  Him,  the  Pharisees  and 
scribes  said  among  themselves,  "  This  man  re- 
ceiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with  them." 

So  Jesus  told  them  the  parables  of  the  "  Lost 
Sheep,"  and  the  "  Lost  Piece  of  Silver,"  and  the 
"  Prodigal  Son,"  which  are  in  Luke's  Gospel. 

These  stories  tell  of  the  love  of  God  even  for 
those  who  have  gone  away  from  Him. 

There  are  many  other  parables  in  the  Gospels. 


On  the  Other  Side  of  Jordan       1 1 5 

The  truths   hidden   in  these  stories  arc  just  as 
wonderful  now  as  then. 


It  was  winter,  and  Jesus  went  up  quietly  to 
Jerusalem  to  a  feast.  He  was  walking  in  the 
great  eastern  porch  of  the  Temple,  which  was 
called  Solomon's  Porch,  when  suddenly  the 
Pharisees  came  to  Him. 

"  How  long  dost  Thou  make  us  to  doubt  if 
Thou  be  the  Christ?  Tell  us  plainly,"  they 
said. 

They  would  not  have  a  king  without  an 
earthly  kingdom,  and  they  were  too  proud  to 
believe  and  obey  the  meek  Jesus  as  the  Son  of 
God,  if  He  could  not  tell  them  more  than  He 
had  already. 

"  I  have  told  you,  and  ye  believe  not,  because 
ye  are  not  of  My  sheep.  .  .  .  I  and  My  Fa- 
ther are  One,"  He  said  at  last. 

They  were  full  of  rage,  and  took  up  stones  to 
throw  at  Him. 

"  Many  good  works  have  I  shown  you  from 
My  Father ;  for  which  of  those  works  do  ye  stone 
Me  ?  "  He  asked  them. 

"  Not  for  a  good  work,  but  because  Thou,  a 
man,  makest  Thyself  God,"  and  they  tried  to 
take  Him,  but  were  not  able. 


1 16  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  had  no  fear  of  their  hate,  and  He  went 
from  them  without  a  touch  of  harm. 

But  since  His  hfe  was  not  safe  in  Jerusalem, 
and  His  time  to  die  was  not  come,  He  went  back 
to  Perea,  the  country  beyond  Jordan,  by  the 
fords  where  John  had  preached  and  baptized. 


CHAPTER  XLVII 

"THY    BROTHER   SHALL   RISE  AGAIN." 
«  LAZARUS ! " 

LAZARUS,  the  brother  of  Martha  and 
Mary,  and  the  friend  of  Jesus,  lay  sick 
in  Bethany.  His  sisters  thought  that 
Jesus  would  surely  come  to  help  them  if  He 
knew.  They  sent  this  message  to  Him  where 
He  was,  fifty  miles  away  in  Perea,  "  Lord,  he 
whom  Thou  lovest  is  sick." 

When  Jesus  had  the  message  He  said,  "  This 
sickness  is  not  unto  death,  but  for  the  glory  of 
God,"  and  He  stayed  two  days  longer  where  He 
was. 

Then  He  said,  '•  Let  us  go  into  Judsea  again." 
The  disciples  said  to  Him,  "  Master,  the  Jews 
sought    to    stone    Thee  ;    goest    Thou    thither 
again  ?  " 


"  Thy  Brother  Shall  Rise  Again  "     117 

Jesus  told  them  that  no  harm  could  come  to 
Him,  because  His  day — His  time  for  work — was 
not  yet  over. 

"  Our  friend  Lazarus  has  fallen  asleep  ;  I  go 
that  I  may  awake  him."  For  He  knew  that 
Lazarus  was  dead  and  had  been  buried  on  the 
very  day  that  He  had  received  the  message. 

But  the  others  did  not  understand  that  Jesus 
was  speaking  of  his  death. 

"  Lord,  if  he  has  fallen  asleep,  he  will  get  bet- 
ter." 

Then  He  told  them  plainly,  "  Lazarus  is  dead, 
but  let  us  go  to  him." 

And  Thomas  said  to  the  others,  "  Let  us  also 
go,  that  we  may  die  with  Him."  He  thought 
that  the  Jews  would  certainly  kill  them  all. 

Four  days  after  Lazarus  had  died,  Martha  and 
Mary  were  at  home,  mourning  for  their  brother. 
Many  of  their  friends  in  Jerusalem  had  come  to 
comfort  them.  Martha  heard  that  Jesus  was 
coming,  and  she  went  to  meet  Him,  but  Mary 
sat  still. 

"  Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother 
had  not  died,"  cried  Martha  when  she  met  Jesus 
outside  the  village. 

"  Thy  brother  shall  rise  again,"  answered 
Jesus. 


ii8  The  Story  of  Jesus 

"  I  know  that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the  resur- 
rection at  the  last  day,"  said  Martha. 

Jesus  said  to  her,  "  I  am  the  Resurrection  and 
the  Life  ;  he  that  believeth  on  Me,  though  he 
were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever 
liveth  and  beheveth  on  Me  shall  never  die.  Be- 
lievest  thou  this  ?  " 

She  said,  "  Yea,  Lord,  I  have  believed  that 
Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 

Then  she  ran  back,  and  called  Mary  secretly, 
"  The  Master  is  here,  and  calleth  thee." 

And  when  Mary  heard  that,  she  rose  quickly, 
and  came  to  Him. 

The  friends  said,  "  She  is  going  to  the  grave 
to  weep  there,"  and  they  followed  her. 

Jesus  was  still  where  Martha  met  Him  when 
Mary  came  up,  and  fell  at  His  feet,  saying  with 
tears,  "  Lord,  if  Thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother 
had  not  died." 

Jesus  was  sorely  troubled  when  He  saw  them 
all  weeping. 

"  Where  have  ye  laid  him  ?  "  He  asked. 

"  Lord,  come  and  see." 

As  they  went  along.  He  wept. 

And  some  of  them  said,  "  Look,  how  He  loved 
him  !  "  others,  who  remembered  the  blind  man 
whom  Jesus  had  cured  at  Jerusalem,  said, "  Could 


"Thy  Brother  Shall  Rise  Again"     119 

He  not  have  caused  that  this  man  should  not  see 
death  ?  " 

Jesus  came  to  the  grave,  and  His  heart  was 
troubled.  It  was  a  cave,  and  a  stone  closed  the 
door. 

He  told  them,  "  Take  away  the  stone." 

Martha  reminded  Him,  "  Lord,  he  has  been 
dead  four  days." 

He  turned  to  her,  "  Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that 
if  thou  wouldst  believe,  thou  shouldst  see  the 
glory  of  God  ?  " 

Then  they  took  away  the  stone. 

Jesus  lifted  His  eyes  to  heaven.  "  Father,  I 
thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast  heard  Me,"  He  said. 

And  He  called  loudly,  "  Lazarus,  come  forth  !  " 

Lazarus  heard  that  voice  in  his  death  sleep, 
and  he  that  had  lain  so  still  for  four  days  rose 
and  came  out  of  the  cave  a  living  man. 

His  hands  and  feet  were  bound  about  with 
long  linen  bands. 

"  Loose  him,  and  let  him  go,"  said  Jesus. 

So  Lazarus  came  back  home  to  the  sisters  who 
loved  him. 


120  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  XLVIII 
THE  PLOT  OF  THE  PRIESTS 

WHEN  the  chief  priests  heard  how 
Lazarus  had  been  raised  to  Ufe,  they 
held  a  Council.  They  talked  to- 
gether. "  What  do  we  ?  This  man  doeth  many 
miracles.  If  we  let  Him  alone,  all  men  will  be- 
lieve on  Him,  and  the  Romans  will  come,  and 
take  away  our  place  and  nation." 

They  knew  that  the  emperor  would  not  let  the 
Jews  have  another  king,  and  that  if  they  fought 
with  them,  the  Jews  would  be  brought  to  noth- 
ing. 

Then  Caiaphas,  the  proud  high  priest,  rose  and 
spoke,  "  Ye  know  nothing  at  all.  It  is  better 
that  one  man  should  die,  and  not  the  whole  na- 
tion perish." 

So  they  decided  to  put  Jesus  to  death,  and 
from  that  day  they  watched  for  a  time. 

And  Jesus  went  to  a  place  beyond  the  Jordan, 
where  His  foes  could  not  find  Him.  There  He 
spent  some  quiet  days  with  His  disciples. 


The  Plot  of  the  Priests  121 

So  the  time  drew  near  for  the  Passover  Feast, 
and  He  knew  beforehand  what  would  happen. 
As  the  people  from  the  country  flocked  on  their 
way  to  the  feast,  He  said  to  the  twelve,  "  Be- 
hold, we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  Son  of  Man 
shall  be  given  up  to  the  chief  priests,  and  they 
shall  condemn  Him,  and  shall  give  Him  up  to 
the  Gentiles  (the  Romans)  and  they  shall  mock 
Him,  and  scourge  Him,  and  put  Him  to  death, 
and  the  third  day  He  shall  rise  again." 

So  the  Lord  set  out  for  Jerusalem,  strong  to 
meet  the  death  before  Him.  The  disciples  could 
not  even  then  understand  His  words,  but  as  they 
followed  Him  in  the  way,  they  saw  how  great 
and  high  He  looked. 

They  wondered  at  Him,  and  were  afraid. 

And  now  they  made  up  their  minds  that  the 
Master  was  going  to  make  Himself  king  before 
the  world.  Each  one  wanted  to  be  the  chief  in 
rule  under  Him. 

James  and  John  made  their  mother  Salome 
speak  to  Him  for  them. 

Salome  asked  Him  to  do  something  for  her. 

"  What  wilt  thou  ?  "  said  Jesus. 

"  Grant  that  my  two  sons  may  sit,  the  one  on 
Thy  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  Thy  left,  in 
Thy  kingdom." 


122  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  said  to  James  and  John,  "  Ye  know  not 
what  ye  ask." 

He  saw  the  cross  of  shame,  while  they  thought 
of  a  throne  of  glory.  And  when  they  were  sure 
that  they  could  share  with  Him  all  that  He  had 
to  bear.  He  told  them  that  they  should  indeed 
share  His  lot  with  Him,  but  that  they  were  seek- 
ing for  what  He  could  not  give  them. 

The  ten  others  were  angry  with  James  and 
John,  for  they  all  wanted  the  very  same  things. 

And  so  Jesus  called  them  all  to  Him,  and  told 
them  as  He  often  did  that  in  His  kingdom  those 
who  served  the  others  best  should  be  the  greatest. 
"  Whosoever  will  be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be 
your  servant." 

For  even  the  Lord  Jesus  came  to  be  a  Servant, 
and  to  give  His  life  for  others. 


CHAPTER  XLIX 
BARTIMiEUS  AND  ZACCH^US 

A  BLIND  man  named  Bartima^us  was  sit- 
ting  outside  the  gate  of  the  town,  as 
Jesus  went  into  Jericho.  A  long  time 
he  had  been  a  beggar  at  the  gate,  but  Jesus  the 
Healer  had  not  been  that  way  before. 


BartimiEus  and  Zacchseus  123 

On  that  day  came  the  tramp  of  many  feet,  and 
the  noise  of  a  great  crowd.  Bartima^us  asked 
what  it  meant,  and  the  people  rephed  that  "  Je- 
sus of  Nazareth  passeth  by." 

"  Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me  !  "  cried  Bartimaeus. 

The  people  told  him  to  be  quiet,  but  he  cried 
all  the  more,  "  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me!  " 

And  Jesus  heard  him,  and  stood  still,  and  said, 
'•  Call  ye  him."  So  they  said  to  Bartimaeus, 
"  Be  of  good  comfort ;  rise.  He  calleth  thee." 
So  he  threw  off  his  cloak,  and  sprang  up,  and 
came  to  Him. 

"  What  wilt  thou  that  I  should  do  for  thee  ?  " 
Jesus  asked. 

"  Lord,  that  I  might  receive  my  sight."  Bar- 
timaeus used  the  highest  title  he  knew  for  Jesus. 

"  Go  thy  way ;  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee,"  said 
Jesus. 

Sight  came  to  the  blind  man,  and  he  followed 
Jesus  with  the  others,  praising  God. 

A  rich  man,  named  Zacchaeus,  the  chief  of  the 
publicans,  or  tax-gatherers,  lived  in  Jericho.  He 
wanted  very  much  to  see  Jesus,  but  he  was  too 
short  to  look  over  the  heads  of  the  crowd,  so  he 


124  The  Story  of  Jesus 

ran  before,  and  climbed  a  sycamore  tree  at  the 
side  of  the  road. 

As  Jesus  passed  beneath  He  looked  up  and  saw 
him  there.  He  saw  right  in  his  heart  the  eager 
wish  to  be  good,  and  He  called  to  him: 

"  Zacchaeus,  make  haste  and  come  down,  for 
to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house." 

Zacchaeus  was  glad,  and  came  down,  and  joy- 
fully received  Him. 

The  people  murmured,  "  He  is  gone  to  be  a 
guest  with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner."  If  it  had 
been  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue  ;  but  a  publican  ! 
how  can  He  stoop  so  low  ?  they  thought. 

But  the  kindness  and  love  of  Jesus  lifted  up 
Zacchaeus. 

"  Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to 
the  poor,  and  if  I  have  taken  anything  wrongfully 
from  any  man,  I  restore  it  fourfold,"  he  said 
eagerly. 

And  Jesus  said,  "  This  day  is  salvation  come 
to  this  house :  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham.  For 
the  Son  of  Man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost." 


Mary's  Jar  of  Ointment  125 

CHAPTER  L 
MARY'S  JAR  OF  OINTMENT 

AT  Jerusalem  they  were  all  looking  for  Je- 
sus. Those  who  had  come  up  from  the 
country  said  to  one  another,  as  they  pre- 
pared for  the  Passover  in  the  courts  of  the 
Temple,  "  What  think  ye,  that  He  will  not  come 
to  the  feast  ?  "  for  the  chief  priests  had  ordered 
any  one,  who  knew  where  He  was,  to  tell  them, 
that  they  might  take  Plim. 

Six  days  before  the  Passover,  Jesus  came  to 
Bethany,  where  Martha,  Mary  and  Lazarus  wel- 
comed Him  to  their  house.  Here  was  peace 
among  friends  while  a  short  way  off,  in  Jerusa- 
lem, the  priests  were  waiting  to  take  Him,  and 
put  Him  to  death. 

It  was  Friday  when  Jesus  came  to  Bethany  ; 
and  after  the  Sabbath  was  over, — that  is,  after 
sunset  on  Saturday, — He  went  to  supper  in  the 
house  of  Simon  the  leper.  Lazarus  was  there, 
and  Martha  waited  on  the  guests  ;  for  it  is  the 
custom  in  the  East  for  the  men  and  women  to 
take  their  meals  separately.  They  were  on 
couches  instead  of  sitting  round  the  table. 


126  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Now  Mary  had  stored  up  a  pot  of  precious 
nard,  or  ointment.  She  wanted  to  show  the  love 
and  gratitude  in  her  heart  to  Jesus,  and  so  she 
brought  her  beautiful  jar,  and  standing  behind 
Him,  she  broke  it,  and  poured  the  nard  over  His 
feet,  and  wiped  them  with  her  hair.  The  sweet 
odor  spread  through  the  house. 

But  there  is  always  some  one  ready  to  find 
fault.  This  time  it  was  Judas,  who  carried  the 
bag  in  which  the  disciples  kept  their  money, 
and  often  took  something  out  of  it  secretly. 

"  Why  was  not  this  ointment  sold  for  three 
hundred  pence,  and  given  to  the  poor  ?  "  he  said. 

He  did  not  care  for  the  poor ;  that  was  only 
something  to  say. 

And  then  the  others  joined  in.  "  To  what 
purpose  is  this  waste  ? "  they  grumbled,  and 
Mary  began  to  fear  that  she  had  done  wrong. 

Then  Jesus  spoke :  "  Let  her  alone ;  why 
trouble  ye  her  ?  She  hath  done  a  good  work. 
This  is  done  beforehand  for  My  burial.  The 
poor  ye  have  always  with  you ;  Me  ye  have  not 
always.  Throughout  the  whole  world,  wherever 
the  Gospel  is  preached,  this  that  she  hath  done 
shall  be  spoken  of." 

Then  it  was  that  Judas  made  up  his  mind  that 
he  had  no  money  or  worldly  good  to  gain  by 


"  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David"     127 

following  Jesus.  He  went  to  the  chief  priests, 
and  asked  them,  "  What  will  ye  give  me,  and  I 
will  deliver  Him  to  you  ?  " 

And  they  were  glad,  and  bargained  with  him 
for  thirty  pieces  of  silver — the  price  of  the  mean- 
est slave ! 

So  Judas  betrayed  his  Master,  and  he  began 
to  plan  how  he  might  give  Him  up  to  His  foes. 

And  when  they  heard  that  many  people  be- 
lieved on  Jesus  because  of  Lazarus  whom  He  had 
raised  to  life,  the  priests  plotted  to  put  Lazarus 
to  death  also. 


CHAPTER  LI 
"HOSANNA  TO  THE  SON  OF  DAVID" 

THE  day  following, — the  day  now  called 
Palm  Sunday, — it  was  told  in  the  streets 
of  Jerusalem  that  Jesus  was  coming  to 
the  city.  And  a  crowd  of  people,  some  of  them 
quite  willing  to  accept  Him  as  the  "  Son  of 
David,"  in  their  gay  festival  dresses,  carrying 
branches  of  palm  went  out  to  meet  Him. 

Many  who  had  seen  Lazarus  called  from  his 
grave  were  there.     They  had  told  what  they  had 


1 28  The  Story  of  Jesus 

seen,  and  it  seemed  that  day  as  if  the  whole  peo- 
ple were  ready  to  welcome  Jesus  as  Messiah. 

Jesus  came  from  Bethany.  As  they  walked  up 
the  slope  of  the  Mount  of  Ohves,  near  Bethphage, 
He  said  to  two  of  the  disciples,  "  Go  into  the  vil- 
lage, and  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied,  whereon  never 
man  sat ;  loose  him,  and  bring  him." 

They  went,  and  found  the  colt  as  Jesus  had 
told  them,  tied  outside  a  door,  and  its  mother  by 
it.  As  they  were  loosing  it,  the  people  by  said, 
"  What  do  ye,  loosing  the  colt?  " 

"  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him,"  they  answered, 
so  they  let  them  take  the  colt  and  the  donkey. 
Then  Peter  and  John, — most  likely  they  were  the 
ones — brought,  them  to  Jesus. 

They  threw  their  coats  over  the  colt,  and  lifted 
Jesus  on  his  back,  and  as  they  led  him  up  the 
hill,  they  shouted  and  sang,  praising  God  for  His 
mighty  works. 

"  Blessed  be  the  King  that  cometh  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord ;  peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in  the 
highest !  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  ! "  they 
cried. 

Afterward,  the  disciples  remembered  how  a 
prophet  had  said  that  the  meek  Messiah  should 
enter  Jerusalem  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  that  He 
was  the  King  of  peace.     Now  they  did  not  under- 


"  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  "     1 29 

stand,  but  they  were  full  of  joy  to  see  the  crowd 
shouting  to  welcome  their  Master  Jesus. 

When  the  Pharisees  said,  "  Master,  rebuke  Thy 
disciples,"  He  answered,  "  If  these  should  hold 
their  peace,  the  stones  would  cry  out." 

And  now  they  came  to  the  brow  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  and  the  great  city  and  the  Temple 
were  in  full  view.  The  Lord  looked  at  the 
beautiful  city,  and  wept  over  it,  because  it  would 
not  know  and  choose  the  good.  It  did  not  know 
the  time  when  its  King  came  to  it.  For  they 
who  now  shouted  "  Hosanna !  "  cried  "  Crucify 
Him  !  "  six  days  afterward.  He  knew  the  pun- 
ishment that  would  come  later,  when  the  Romans 
fought  against  the  city,  and  it  was  thrown  down 
to  the  ground,  when  the  people  fell  by  thousands, 
and  the  wonderful  Temple,  the  pride  of  the  Jews, 
was  burned. 

Most  of  the  crowd  did  not  notice  the  grief  of 
Jesus,  and  they  swept  on,  throwing  down  their 
coats  and  palm  branches  in  the  way,  for  the  colt 
to  tread  upon. 

So  they  came  through  the  gate,  and  into  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem.  The  strangers,  and  those 
who  looked  from  their  houses  wondered  and  in- 
quired, "  Who  is  this  ?  "  They  answered,  "  This 
is  Jesus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth,  of  Galilee." 


130  The  Story  of  Jesus 

And  Jesus  went  to  the  Temple.  Three  years 
before,  He  had  driven  out  the  buyers  and  sellers 
from  the  Temple  courts,  but  they  had  come 
back,  noisy  and  cheating  as  before. 

Now  He  sent  them  away  again,  and  told  them 
that  they  had  made  God's  house  of  prayer  a  den 
of  thieves.  They  went  at  His  word,  for  He 
spoke  like  a  king. 

Then  the  blind  and  lame  came  to  Him  there, 
and  He  cured  them.  The  children  of  the  Temple 
choir  sang  round  Him,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of 
David,"  and  the  chief  priests  were  angry,  but  He 
told  them  that  the  best  praise  came  from  the  lips 
of  children. 

Some  Greeks  who  were  at  the  feast  came  to 
Philip  and  asked  him,  "  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus." 
Philip  and  Andrew  told  Him  this,  and  He  was 
glad,  but  He  spoke  again  of  His  death  on  the 
cross :  "  If  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  I  will 
draw  all  men  unto  Me." 

When  it  was  evening,  He  came  out  of  the  city. 
He  went  back  over  Olivet  with  the  disciples,  and 
there  under  the  olive-trees  they  lay  down  to 
sleep.  For  it  was  spring  time,  and  the  open  air 
was  pleasant. 


THE   ENTRY   INTO  JERUSALEM 


Monday  in  the  Temple  131 


CHAPTER  LII 
MONDAY  IN  THE  TEMPLE 

JESUS  came  to  the  city  in  the  morning.  On 
the  way  He  was  hungry,  and  He  went  up 
to  a  fig-tree  at  the  roadside  to  find  some 
fruit.  There  was  none,  although  it  was  covered 
with  leaves,  which  do  not  usually  come  till  the 
fruit  has  grown.  And  He  said,  "  Let  no  fruit 
grow  on  thee  again  forever."  Jesus  wished 
His  disciples  to  learn  by  this  not  to  pretend  to 
be  better  than  they  really  were. 

They  came  to  the  Temple,  and  He  began  to 
teach. 

The  chief  priests  came  up.  "  By  what  author- 
ity doest  Thou  these  things?"  they  inquired. 
As  if  Jesus  had  not  many  times  told  them  !  To 
their  question  He  replied  that  if  they  would  an- 
swer one  thing  He  would  ask  them.  He  would 
answer  in  return.  Was  John  the  Baptist  sent  by 
God,  or  not  ?  And  they  were  afraid  to  answer 
yes  or  no,  because  of  the  people  who  believed 
John  to  be  a  prophet,  so  they  said,  "  We  cannot 
tell." 


132  The  Story  of  Jesus 

"  Nor  do  I  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do 
these  things." 

"  What  think  ye  ?  A  man  had  two  sons ;  and 
he  said,  Go,  work  in  my  vineyard ;  and  one  said, 
I  will  not,  but  afterward  he  went.  And  the 
other  said,  I  go,  sir,  but  went  not.  Which  one 
did  the  will  of  his  father?"  They  said,  "  The 
first." 

Jesus  told  them  that  the  sinful  people  went 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  the  Pharisees, 
because  they  believed  John,  and  turned  toward 
good,  but  the  Pharisees  would  not  choose  to  be- 
lieve. 

Then  He  told  them  another  parable,  about  the 
laborers  in  the  vineyard  who  would  not  let  the 
master  have  the  fruit,  when  he  sent  for  it. 
•'  What  shall  be  done  to  these  husbandmen,  when 
the  lord  comes  back  ?  "  They  said,  "  He  will 
destroy  these  wicked  men,  and  give  the  vineyard 
to  others." 

Then  Jesus  said,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  shall 
be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bear- 
ing fruit." 

At  that  time  He  told  also  the  parables  of  the 
"  Marriage  Feast,"  and  of  the  "  Man  without  a 
wedding  garment." 

The  story  was  of  a  king  who  made  a  wedding 


The  Last  Day  of  Teaching         133 

feast  for  his  son  and  the  guests  took  no  notice 
of  his  invitation,  but  went  off  to  their  work  and 
their  pleasure.  The  king  was  angry,  and  sent 
his  servants  into  the  roads  and  the  byways  to 
bring  in  the  people  whom  they  found  there,  to  take 
the  places  of  those  who  were  not  worthy.  And 
so  the  feast  room  was  full.  But  one  was  there 
without  the  wedding  dress  that  the  king  gave  to 
all  who  came,  and  when  the  king  saw  him,  he 
was  thrust  out. 

"  Many  are  called,  but  few  chosen,"  Jesus  said. 

And  the  Pharisees  hated  Him  still  more  and 
planned  to  catch  Him  in  His  words,  and  accuse 
Him  to  the  Roman  governor.  But  that  evening 
He  went  out  of  the  city  again. 


CHAPTER  UII 
THE  LAST  DAY  OF  TEACHING 

THE  next  morning,  Jesus  came  again  to 
the  Temple.     On  the  way  they  saw  the 
fig-tree,  that  had   been  full  of  leaves, 
withered  up  from  the  roots. 

Peter  said,  "Master,  the  fig-tree  is  withered 
away." 


134  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Jesus  answered,  "  Have  faith  in  God."  For  if 
you  believe  when  you  pray,  your  prayer  shall  be 
answered. 

As  He  was  walking  in  the  Temple  court,  some 
Pharisees  and  Herodians  came  up  to  Him.  Hate 
was  in  their  hearts,  but  their  words  were  smooth. 
"  Master,  we  know  that  Thou  art  true,  and  dost 
teach  the  word  of  God  in  truth :  ought  we  to 
give  tribute  to  Caesar  or  not  ?  Shall  we  give,  or 
shall  we  not  give?" 

"  Bring  Me  a  penny,  that  I  may  see  it,"  said 
Jesus.  This  was  the  tribute  money,  which  was 
paid  in  the  Roman  penny.  "  Whose  is  this 
image  and  superscription  ?  "  The  head  and  title 
of  the  emperor  were  stamped  on  the  coin,  so  they 
said,  "  Caesar's." 

"  Render  to  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's, 
and  to  God  the  things  that  are  God's,"  Jesus  said. 

This  answer  was  so  wise  that  they  could  say 
nothing.  They  had  thought  to  turn  His  words 
against  the  Romans,  so  that  the  governor  would 
put  Him  in  prison,  or  so  that  the  people,  who 
were  hoping  that  the  Messiah  would  make  them 
free  again,  would  be  angry. 

Then  many  others  came,  and  asked  Him  puz- 
zling questions  ;  but  He  answered  so  wisely  that 
they  went  away  quite  baffled.     Even  the  scribes 


The  Last  Day  of  Teaching         135 

had  to  say,  "  Master,  Thou  hast  well  said."  And 
the  people  stood  listening,  and  so  the  day  went 
by.  When  the  priests  could  do  nothing  against 
Him  because  of  the  people  round,  they  went  to 
the  house  of  Caiaphas  the  high  priest,  to  plot  by 
themselves. 

As  the  evening  came  on,  Jesus  was  sitting  in 
the  women's  court,  by  the  treasury.  He  saw  the 
rich  men  throwing  pieces  of  gold  into  the  big 
brass  jars,  and  presently  a  poor  widow  came  by, 
and  she  put  in  two  tiny  pieces  of  money,  which 
only  make  a  farthing  together.  "  This  poor 
widow  hath  cast  in  more  than  they  all,"  said 
Jesus,  "  for  they  do  not  miss  their  gifts,  but  she 
hath  given  all  that  she  had." 

So  the  Lord  left  the  Temple  for  the  last  time, 
and  went  across  the  vaUey  of  the  Kidron,  to  the 
Mount  of  OHves.  The  disciples  were  looking 
at  the  beautiful  gates  and  pillars ;  they  said, 
"  Master,  see  these  beautiful  stones  and  build- 
ings." And  Jesus  told  them  that  all  the  great 
stones  should  be  thrown  down. 

Then  Peter  and  Andrew  and  James  and  John 
came  to  Him  as  He  sat  looking  over  the  city, 
and  asked,  "  Tell  us,  when  shall  these  things  be  ?  " 

And  Jesus  told  them  of  the  many  terrible 
things  that  would  happen,  and  what  His  own 


136  The  Story  of  Jesus 

disciples  must  do  when  the  city  should  be  des- 
troyed. And  He  spoke  to  them  of  a  greater 
time  still,  when  He  Himself  would  come  again 
with  power  and  great  glory.  They  must  be 
ready  for  that  time,  He  said,  and  watch  and 
pray,  for  no  one  knew  when  it  would  be.  "  It 
is  as  a  man  taking  a  far  journey,  who  gave  power 
to  his  servants,  and  to  every  man  his  work,  and 
told  the  porter  to  watch.  Watch  therefore,  for 
ye  know  not  when  the  Master  of  the  house 
cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  cock-crow- 
ing, or  in  the  morning." 

And  then  He  spoke  His  last  parables.  They 
are  about  the  "  Ten  Virgins  "  or  bridesmaids,  who 
fell  asleep  while  they  were  waiting  for  the  bride- 
groom ;  and  the  "  Talents,"  and  last  of  all  the 
"  Last  Judgment,"  when  Jesus  will  judge  the 
world.     They  are  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew. 

Then  He  said,  "  Ye  know  that  after  two  days 
is  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  and  the  Son  of  Man 
is  betrayed  to  be  crucified." 

Even  as  He  was  speaking  to  His  friends  in  the 
quiet  evening  on  Olivet,  the  priests  in  the  house 
of  Caiaphas  were  saying,  "  It  must  not  be  on  the 
feast  day,  lest  there  should  be  an  uproar  of  the 
people." 

At  that  minute  Judas  was  brought  into  the 


The  Last  Supptr  137 

Council.  He  had  come  to  say  that  he  would 
keep  his  word,  and  bring  them  to  Jesus,  when 
the  people  were  away.  And  they  were  glad. 
Not  one  of  them  had  pity  on  the  innocent  Jesus. 
He  had  no  fear  of  their  power,  and  He  spoke  to 
them  as  they  really  were,  very  religious  people, 
but  proud  of  heart  and  mean  robbers  of  the  poor. 
So  He  was  to  be  put  to  death,  that  He  might  re- 
prove them  no  more. 


CHAPTER  LIV 
THE  LAST  SUPPER 

THE    Gospels    tell    nothing    about  the 
Wednesday  before  the  Passover,  which 
was  spent  at  Bethany. 
On  the  Thursday  morning  the  disciples  asked 
Jesus  :     "  Where  wilt  Thou  that  we  make  ready 
for  Thee  to  eat  the  Passover  ?  " 

He  said  to  Peter  and  John,  "  Go  into  the  city, 
and  there  shall  meet  you  a  man  with  a  pitcher  of 
water.  Follow  him  to  the  house  where  he  goes, 
and  say  to  the  good  man  of  the  house,  The  Master 
saith  unto  thee.  My  time  is  at  hand  ;  where  is  the 
guest-room,  where  I  shall  eat  the  Passover  with 


138  The  Story  of  Jesus 

My  disciples  ?  And  he  shall  show  you  a  large 
upper  room  ;  there  make  ready." 

Peter  and  John  went  into  the  city,  and  found 
the  house  that  Jesus  had  spoken  of.  Now  the 
master  was  a  friend  of  Jesus,  and  was  glad  that 
He  should  come  there.  Most  likely  it  was  Mark, 
the  nephew  of  Peter,  but  that  the  Gospels  do  not 
say. 

There  were  couches  and  cushions  to  lie  upon 
in  the  room,  cups  and  dishes,  and  little  tables  for 
supper,  and  a  jug  and  basin  with  water. 

So  Peter  and  John  prepared  for  the  Passover 
Fccist.  It  was  the  same  for  every  family  and 
party :  the  lamb  blessed  by  the  priest,  and 
brought  from  the  Temple,  that  was  cooked  and 
eaten  with  bitter  herbs,  flat,  thin  cakes  of  bread 
without  leaven,  the  sauce  of  raisins  and  vinegar, 
and  the  wine  crushed  from  grapes,  which  was 
passed  round  in  a  cup  for  all  to  drink.  And  the 
meal  was  to  be  eaten  with  joy,  and  songs  of 
praise  were  to  be  sung. 

Friday  was  the  great  day  of  the  feast,  but  Jesus 
must  take  it  on  Thursday  evening,  because  His 
time  was  come. 

So  as  the  evening  drew  on,  Jesus  and  His 
twelve  friends  came  from  Bethany  to  the  upper 
room  in  Jerusalem,  where  all  was  ready. 


The  Last  Supper  139 

Jesus  took  His  place,  and  John,  the  disciple 
whom  He  loved,  was  closest  to  Him,  while  on 
His  other  side  was  Judas,  the  traitor.  Yet  even 
then  the  disciples  had  been  quarreling  about  who 
should  be  first,  and  have  the  best  places  ;  and  since 
there  was  no  slave  or  servant  to  pour  the  water, 
each  one  had  sat  down  without  washing  his  feet. 

Jesus  heard  and  saw,  and  He  taught  them  a 
lesson  in  a  way  that  they  could  never  forget. 
He  rose  from  His  place,  and  took  off  most  of 
His  clothing,  and  put  a  towel  round  Himself,  as 
the  slaves  did.  Then  He  poured  water  into  the 
basin,  and  began  to  wash  the  disciples'  feet. 
They  were  so  surprised  that  they  could  say  noth- 
ing. But  when  the  turn  of  Peter  came,  he  ex- 
claimed, "  Lord,  dost  Thou  wash  my  feet  ?  "  for  he 
was  ashamed  that  his  Master  should  do  for  him 
the  work  of  a  servant. 

Jesus  replied,  "  What  I  do,  thou  knowest  not 
now,  but  thou  shalt  know  hereafter.  If  I  wash 
thee  not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  Me." 

Peter  said,  •'  Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but  also 
my  hands  and  my  head." 

"  He  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash 
his  feet,  but  is  clean  every  whit.  Ye  are  clean, 
— but  not  all ; "  said  Jesus — for  He  thought  of 
Judas,  the  one  whose  heart  was  black. 


14-0  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Then,  when  He  had  sat  down  again,  He  said, 
"  Know  ye  what  1  have  done  for  you  ?  Ye  call 
me  Master  and  Lord ;  and  ye  say  true,  for  so  I 
am.  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should 
do  as  I  have  done  to  you," 

If  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  was  willing  to  make 
Himself  a  servant,  His  followers  must  be  servants 
to  one  another. 

Then  was  the  Lord  sad  at  heart,  and  said, 
"  One  of  you  shall  betray  Me."  Only  twelve 
were  there,  and  of  these  one  was  a  traitor ! 
Which  of  them  could  be  so  vile,  so  mean  ? 
"  Master,  is  it  I  ? "  they  asked,  heavy-hearted, 
one  by  one. 

Peter  beckoned  to  John :  "  Tell  us  who  it  is  " 
— for  John  was  leaning  his  head  on  the  breast  of 
Jesus.  So  John  whispered,  "  Lord,  who  is  it  ?  " 
Jesus  told  him,  "  He  it  is,  to  whom  I  shall  give 
the  sop,  when  I  have  dipped  it." 

Presently,  Judas  himself  asked,  "  Master,  is  it 
I  ?  "  for  he  did  not  want  to  be  found  out. 

Jesus  answered,  "  Thou  hast  said."  Soon  He 
took  a  piece  of  bread,  and  when  He  had  dipped 
it  in  the  sauce,  He  gave  it  to  Judas.  The  Gospel 
says  that  Satan  entered  into  him  as  he  took  it. 
Then  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  That  thou  doest,  do 
quickly." 


The  Last  Su 


pper  141 


Judas  got  up  iVom  his  place,  and  opened  the 
door,  and  went  into  the  darkness.  There  was  no 
turning  back  for  him  any  more.  He  was  going 
straight  to  the  priests  to  tell  them  to  take  his 
Master. 

But  only  John  knew  why  Judas  had  gone. 
The  others  thought  that  Jesus  had  told  him  to 
buy  something  for  the  feast,  or  to  give  some 
money  to  the  poor. 

Then,  while  they  were  round  the  table,  Jesus 
took  the  bread,  and  blessed  it.  He  broke  it  in 
pieces,  and  gave  it  to  them,  and  said,  "  Take, 
eat ;  this  is  My  body,  which  is  broken  for  you. 
Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me."  He  took  the 
cup  of  wine,  and  gave  thanks  for  it  to  God,  and 
handed  it  to  them,  and  they  all  drank  of  it.  He 
said  :  "  This  is  My  blood  of  the  covenant,  Which 
is  shed  for  many." 

Because  Jesus  handed  the  bread  and  the  wine, 
and  said,  "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me," 
many  Christians  ever  since  when  they  meet  to 
remember  the  Lord's  death,  take  together  the 
broken  bread  and  the  cup  of  wine.  And  so  it 
shall  be  till  He  comes  again. 

Jesus  began  to  comfort  His  friends.  He 
called  them  "  Little  children,"  and  told  them 
that   He  was  going  away ;   that  they  must  love 


142  The  Story  of  Jesus 

one  another,  so  that  all  might  know  that  they 
were  His  disciples. 

Peter  asked,  "  Lord,  whither  goest  Thou  ?  "  for 
he  could  not  bear  that  his  Master  should  go  any- 
where without  him. 

"  Whither  I  go,  thou  canst  not  follow  Me  now, 
but  thou  shalt  follow  Me  afterward." 

"  Lord,  why  cannot  I  follow  Thee  now  ?  I 
will  lay  down  my  life  for  Thee." 

"  Wilt  thou  lay  down  thy  life  for  Me  ?  I  tell 
thee,  Peter,  the  cock  shall  not  crow  twice  till 
thou  hast  denied  Me  three  times.  .  .  .  Simon, 
Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  thee,  but  I 
have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not." 

Then  He  told  them  that  they  would  all  forsake 
Him  that  night ;  but  this  they  could  not  believe. 
They  were  willing  to  go  with  Him  to  death,  they 
said.  Jesus  was  not  angry,  though  He  knew  that 
in  a  few  hours  they  would  run  away  in  fear,  and 
leave  Him  alone.  He  knew  how  much  they 
loved  Him,  and  that  they  would  be  cowards  only 
this  once.  After  He  had  left  them  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  came  they  were  as  brave  as  lions. 

So  He  spoke  gently  to  them,  and  told  them  not 
to  be  troubled  when  He  was  gone ;  He  would  go 
first  to  prepare  a  place  for  them  in  His  Father's 
house,  and  one  day  He  would  come  back  again. 


The  Garden  of  Gethsemane        143 

They  must  love  one  another,  and  their  hearts 
would  be  at  peace.  He  would  send  another  Com- 
forter to  abide  with  them,  the  Spirit  of  Truth. 

Many  other  remembered  words  of  love  and  com- 
fort did  Jesus  speak  that  night.  They  are  writ- 
ten in  John's  Gospel. 

Presently  He  said,  "  Arise,  let  us  go  hence." 
While  they  yet  lingered  round  Him  in  the  upper 
room,  He  prayed  for  them  that  they  might  be 
kept  from  the  evil  one :  "  Holy  Father,  keep 
them  in  Thy  name  which  Thou  hast  given  Me. 
.  .  .  Neither  for  these  only  do  I  pray,  but 
for  them  also  who  shall  believe  in  Me  through 
their  word,  that  they  may  all  be  one." 

And  they  sang  a  hymn  together,  and  went  out 
into  the  street.  They  crossed  the  brook  Kidron, 
and  came  to  a  garden. 


CHAPTER  LV 
THE  GARDEN  OF  GETHSEMANE 

JESUS  and   His   disciples  had  often  been  in 
this  garden  before.     It  was  called  the  garden 
of  Gethsemane,  because  of  the  olive-trees 
in  it,  and  the  oil  press. 

Just  inside,  Jesus  told  the  disciples  to  watch, 


144  The  Story  of  Jesus 

while  He  went  farther  on  to  pray.  He  took 
Peter,  James  and  John  with  Him.  And  great 
grief  came  upon  Him,  and  He  said  to  the  three  : 
"  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto 
death ;  abide  ye  here,  and  watch  with  Me." 
He  went  on  a  little  way  under  the  trees,  and  fell 
on  His  face,  and  prayed  that  if  it  were  possible,  the 
hour  might  pass  away  from  Him.  "  Oh,  My 
Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
Me  ;  nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  Thou  wilt/' 

Then  He  came  back  to  the  three  He  had  asked 
to  watch.  But  they  had  fallen  asleep.  He 
waked  them,  and  said  to  Peter,  "  Simon,  sleepest 
thou  ?  Couldest  thou  not  watch  one  hour  ? 
Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  tempta- 
tion." 

He  went  away,  and  prayed  again  very  ear- 
nestly. No  one  can  tell  how  much  the  Lord  suf- 
fered then :  but  an  angel  from  heaven  came  to 
help  Him  to  be  strong. 

And  He  came  the  second  time,  and  found 
Peter  and  the  two  others  asleep  again.  When 
He  had  waked  them  they  were  ashamed,  and  did 
not  know  what  to  say.  The  third  time  He  came 
to  them,  they  were  asleep,  and  then  He  said, 
"  Arise,  let  us  be  going ;  behold,  he  that  be- 
trayeth  Me  is  at  hand." 


The  Garden  ot  Gethsemane         145 

While  He  spoke,  there  was  a  sound  of  foot- 
steps and  the  h^ht  of  torches  through  the  oUve- 
trees.  Judas  knew  the  place  where  Jesus  would 
be,  and  he  had  brought  a  band  of  soldiers,  and 
officers  from  the  chief  priests.  He  had  told 
them,  "  The  One  I  shall  kiss  is  He ;  take  Him." 
He  went  forward  to  Jesus.  "  Friend,  do  that  for 
which  thou  art  come,"  said  Jesus  calmly.  "  Hail, 
Master  !  "  said  Judas,  and  kissed  Him.  "Judas, 
betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss  ?  " 
said  Jesus. 

Then  He  went  forward  alone  to  meet  the  band 
of  men.  "  Whom  seek  ye  ?  "  He  asked  them. 
"  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  they  replied. 

"  I  am  He." 

And  they  fell  to  the  ground  ;  for  His  calm 
voice  and  look  made  them  greatly  afraid.  The 
enemies  of  Jesus  had  feared  to  stone  Him  three 
times  before,  when  the  stones  were  in  their  hands, 
and  now,  even  the  rough  soldiers  could  not  take 
Him  without  His  will,  although  He  was  gentle 
as  a  lamb. 

"  Whom  seek  ye  ?  "  said  Jesus  again. 

"  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  they  answered. 

"  I  have  told  you  that  I  am  He  ;  if  ye  seek 
Me,  let  these  go  their  way." 

The  disciples  saw  the  soldiers,  and  knew  the 


146  The  Story  of  Jesus 

danger  their  Master  was  in.  They  would  make 
a  bold  effort  to  save  Him.  They  had  two 
swords,  and  they  were  ready  to  fight.  "  Lord, 
shall  we  smite  with  the  sword  ?  "  they  exclaimed. 
Peter  drew  his  sword  quickly,  and  struck  at  a 
servant  of  the  high  priest,  and  cut  off  his  ear. 
But  Jesus  said,  "  Put  up  thy  sword  into  its  sheath ; 
for  all  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by 
the  sword.  The  cup  which  My  Father  hath 
given  Me  shall  I  not  drink  it?  Suffer  ye  thus 
far,"  He  said  to  the  soldiers.  And  He  touched 
the  man's  ear,  and  healed  him.  So  they  bound 
Him  to  lead  Him  away. 

Some  of  the  chief  priests  had  come  to  see  Him 
taken.  To  them  He  turned.  "  Are  ye  come 
out  as  against  a  robber,  with  swords  and  staves  ? 
I  sat  daily  with  you  teaching  in  the  Temple,  and 
ye  took  Me  not.  But  this  is  your  hour,  and  the 
power  of  darkness." 

Then  all  the  disciples,  when  they  saw  their 
Master  bound,  and  knew  that  He  could  not  es- 
cape, left  Him,  and  fled  for  their  hves  through 
the  darkness. 


Jesus  Before  the   Priests  147 

CHAPTER  LVI 
JESUS  BEFORE  THE  PRIESTS 

THE  captain  and  his  band  of  soldiers 
took  Jesus  to  the  house  of  Annas,  the 
father-in-law  of  Caiaphas  the  high  priest. 

Annas  was  a  bold  and  crafty  man.  He  had 
been  watching  through  the  night  for  Jesus  to 
come ;  and  he  questioned  Him  about  His  dis- 
ciples and  His  teaching,  that  he  might  find  some- 
thing against  Him  to  say  in  the  Council. 

But  Jesus  said,  '•  I  have  spoken  openly  to  the 
world,  in  synagogues  and  in  the  Temple,  where 
all  the  Jews  come  together  ;  why  askest  thou 
Me?  Ask  them  that  have  heard  Me.  They 
know  what  I  said." 

They  were  full  of  rage  when  He  said  this,  for 
it  was  true,  they  could  find  nothing  against  Him. 
One  of  the  officers  who  stood  by  struck  Jesus, 
and  said,  "  Answerest  Thou  the  high  priest  so?" 
It  was  against  the  law  to  strike  a  prisoner,  but 
He  answered  calmly. 

When  Annas  could  do  no  more  he  sent  Jesus 
to  the  house  of  Caiaphas  close  by.  Both  the 
houses  opened  into  the  same  large  courtyard. 


148  The  Story  of  Jesus 

Caiaphas,  and  the  chief  priests  and  elders  who 
had  made  the  plot,  were  sitting  in  their  places 
round  the  hall,  when  Jesus  was  brought  in.  His 
hands  were  bound.  He  was  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  hall,  and  witnesses  were  called  to  speak 
against  Him.  But  the  witnesses  did  not  agree 
about  what  He  had  said,  and  their  evidence  broke 
down. 

Jesus  kept  silence. 

Then  Caiaphas  rose  from  his  place.  Coming 
up  to  Jesus,  he  said  to  Him,  "  Answerest  Thou 
nothing  ?    What  is  it  these  witness  against  Thee  ?" 

Still  Jesus  stood  silent. 

The  high  priest  said  again,  "  Art  Thou  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Blessed  ? "  For  he  had 
fear  in  his  heart  of  what  they  were  doing. 

Jesus  said,  "  I  am  ;  and  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of 
Man  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  power." 

Caiaphas  tore  his  robe,  to  show  he  was  full  of 
horror,  and  cried  out,  "  He  hath  spoken  blas- 
phemy ;  what  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ? 
What  think  ye  ?  " 

Then  they  all  said,  "  He  is  worthy  of  death." 

But  Jesus  had  yet  to  be  brought  before  the 
whole  Council,  and  for  that  they  waited  till  day- 
light. 

The  officers  took  Him  into  the  guard-room, 


Jesus  Before  the  Priests  149 

and  there  they  all  began  to  treat  Him  shame- 
fully. The  servants  struck  Him,  and  the  priests 
mocked  Him.  He  was  like  a  lamb  among 
wolves. 

About  six  in  the  morning,  the  Council  met  in 
a  hall  by  the  Temple,  and  Jesus  was  brought  be- 
fore them.  A  few  were  His  friends, — Nicode- 
mus  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea  were  there, — but 
most  of  them  wanted  to  put  Him  to  death. 

The  law  said  that  two  or  three  witnesses  must 
agree  in  what  they  said  about  a  prisoner,  but  as 
the  witnesses  did  not  agree,  they  questioned 
Jesus  Himself,  as  Caiaphas  had  done,  "  If  Thou 
be  the  Christ,  tell  us." 

He  said,  '•  If  I  tell  you,  ye  will  not  believe." 

"  Art  Thou  the  Son  of  God  ?  "  they  all  cried. 

Jesus  answered,  "  Ye  say  that  I  am." 

Then  they  cried,  '•  What  further  need  have  we 
of  witnesses  ?  We  ourselves  have  heard  from 
His  own  mouth."  And  they  gave  the  sentence 
as  death. 

The  Council  rose,  and  were  leaving  the  hall, 
when  a  wild-looking  man  came  rushing  up.  It 
was  Judas.  He  had  brought  back  the  money 
for  which  he  had  sold  his  Master.  "  I  have 
sinned  in  that  I  have  betrayed  innocent  blood," 
he  cried  out. 


150  The  Story  of  Jesus 

The  priests  cared  nothing  for  the  despair  of 
Judas.  They  had  had  all  they  wanted  from  him. 
"  What  is  that  to  us  ?  See  thou  to  that,"  they 
said. 

Then  Judas  threw  down  the  thirty  pieces  of 
silver  before  them,  and  rushed  away.  But  he 
could  bear  to  live  no  longer,  for  he  thought  his 
black  sin  could  never  be  forgiven.  So  he  went 
and  hung  himself. 

The  priests  took  the  money,  and  with  it 
bought  a  field,  and  made  it  a  burying-place  for 
strangers;  for  they  would  not  put  it  into  the 
Temple  treasury,  because  it  was  the  price  of  a 
life. 


CHAPTER  LVII 
PETER'S  DENIAL 

HAD    His    friends    quite    forsaken   their 
Master  ?     They  all  ran  away  when  He 
was  taken  prisoner,  but  Peter  and  John 
did  not  go  far. 

They  soon  turned  back,  and  followed  Him  to 
the  palace  of  the  high  priest.  The  girl  who  kept 
the  gate  let  John  pass  in,  because  he  was  well 


Peter's  Denial  151 

known  to  the  high  priest,  but  Peter  stayed  out- 
side in  the  street.  Then  John  asked  her  to  let 
Peter  in.     So  he  came  in. 

The  servants  and  officers  had  made  a  fire  of 
coals  in  the  court,  and  Peter  stood  among  them 
to  warm  himself,  for  the  night  was  cold.  He 
did  not  think  any  one  would  know  him  to  be  a 
disciple  of  Jesus.  But  the  girl  who  had  been 
porter  came  up,  and  she  looked  at  him,  and  said, 
"  And  thou,  too,  wast  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth." 
Peter  was  struck  with  fear.  "  I  know  Him  not," 
he  said,  and  he  went  into  the  porch.  It  was  not 
yet  light,  and  presently  a  cock  crew. 

Another  girl,  who  was  taking  her  turn  to  keep 
the  gate,  saw  him  there.  She  turned  to  those 
who  stood  by,  and  said,  "  This  man,  too,  was 
with  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  And  he  denied  with 
an  oath,  "  I  know  not  the  man." 

Perhaps  Peter  used  to  swear  before  he  followed 
Jesus ;  the  bad  words  came  easily  to  his  tongue. 

In  a  hall  that  opened  on  the  courtyard,  stood 
Jesus  his  Master,  helpless  in  the  hands  of  His 
enemies.  And  Peter,  called  the  "  Rock,"  the 
friend  who  said  he  would  die  for  Him,  was 
frightened  before  a  servant  girl.  Still  he  lin- 
gered in  the  court. 

It  was  about  an  hour  afterward  that  one  of  the 


152  The  Story  of  Jesus 

other  servants,  who  was  related  to  Malchus, 
whose  ear  Peter  had  struck  off,  said  to  him,  "  Did 
I  not  see  thee  in  the  garden  with  Him  ?  "  Then 
the  others  looked  at  him.  "  Why,  thou  wast 
with  Him ;  thou  art  of  Galilee ;  thy  speech  be- 
trayeth  thee,"  they  said. 

Peter  began  to  curse  and  to  swear,  "  I  know 
not  this  man  of  whom  ye  speak." 

And  the  cock  crowed  a  second  time;  and 
Jesus  turned  and  looked  at  Peter.  Then  he  re- 
membered the  words,  "  Before  the  cock  crow 
twice,  thou  shalt  deny  Me  thrice."  He  covered 
his  face,  and  rushed  out,  and  wept  bitterly. 


CHAPTER  LVHI 
BEFORE  THE  GOVERNOR 

THE  Roman  governor,  Pontius  Pilate, 
lived  in  a  splendid  palace.  It  was 
about  seven  in  the  morning,  when  he 
was  told  that  the  Jewish  rulers  and  priests  had 
brought  a  prisoner  to  be  tried. 

Pilate  knew  very  little  about  the  Jews  and 
their  customs.  He  disliked  and  despised  them, 
and  they  hated  him.     But  the  chief  priests  did 


Before  the  Governor  153 

not  think  that  he  would  liinder  them  in  their 
purpose,  for  the  governor  had  to  please  the 
people  when  it  was  not  against  the  Roman  law. 
So  when  Jesus  was  taken  into  the  hall  of  judg- 
ment,— the  Praetorium,— Pilate  came  down. 

The  priests  would  not  enter  the  hall,  for  it 
would  make  them  unclean  for  the  Passover  if 
they  went  into  a  Gentile  place.  So  Pilate  went 
out  to  them. 

"  What  bring  ye  against  this  man  ?  "  he  asked. 
Roman  law  was  just,  and  he  would  not  sentence 
a  prisoner  without  knowing  his  crime. 

They  said,  "  If  He  were  not  an  evil-doer,  we 
should  not  have  given  Him  up  to  thee." 

"  Take  Him,  and  judge  Him  by  your  law," 
said  Pilate. 

They  answered  that  they  could  not  put  any 
one  to  death,  and  they  began  to  accuse  Jesus  of 
leading  the  people  astray  and  of  forbidding  to 
give  tribute  to  Cresar,  and  saying"  that  He  Him- 
self is  Christ,  a  King." 

Then  Pilate  went  into  the  hall,  to  find  out,  if 
he  could,  from  Jesus  Himself,  if  He  had  done 
anything  against  the  law. 

"  Art  Thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?  "  he  asked 
Him.     "  What  hast  Thou  done?  " 

Jesus  said,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world ; 


154  The  Story  of  Jesus 

if  it  were,  then  would  My  servants  fight,  but  now 
is  My  kingdom  not  from  hence." 

Pilate  knew  men  ;  and  he  could  see  that  Jesus 
was  higher  and  better  than  those  who  accused 
Him,  and  that  He  was  innocent  of  plotting 
against  Rome.  So  he  went  out,  and  said  to  the 
priests,  "  I  find  in  Him  no  fault  at  all." 

But  they  shouted  fiercely  that  He  had  stirred 
up  the  people  in  Galilee  and  in  Jerusalem.  When 
Pilate  heard  about  Galilee,  he  resolved  to  send 
Jesus  to  Herod,  the  Governor  of  Galilee. 

So  He  was  taken  across  the  city  to  the  palace 
of  Herod.  Herod  was  glad  to  see  Him,  for  he 
had  heard  much  of  Jesus  and  His  great  works, 
and  he  wanted  Him  to  do  a  miracle  for  him  to 
see.  He  questioned  Him  much,  and  the  priests 
stood  and  shouted.  But  when  Jesus  would  say 
nothing,  the  king  and  the  men  of  his  guard  set 
Him  at  naught,  and  put  a  beautiful  coat  on  Him, 
in  mockery,  and  sent  Him  back  to  Pilate. 

Then  Pilate  sat  down  on  the  judgment  seat. 
He  called  the  priests  and  the  people  before  him, 
and  told  them,  "  Ye  have  brought  this  man  be- 
fore me,  as  one  that  leads  the  people  astray. 
And  I  have  examined  Him,  and  find  no  fault  in 
Him  ;  no,  nor  yet  Herod,  for  he  sent  Him  back ; 
so  I  will  scourge  Him,  and  set  Him  free." 


Before  the  Governor 


J5 


Now  Pilate's  wife  had  sent  him  a  message  : 
"  Have  thou  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man." 
And  Pilate  himself  wished  to  set  Jesus  free,  for 
he  was  sure  of  His  innocence,  and  that  the  priests 
had  given  Him  up  for  envy. 

There  was  a  custom  that  the  governor  should 
release  a  prisoner  in  honor  of  the  Passover  Feast, 
so  Pilate  now  said  to  the  people  who  crowded  in 
front  of  the  palace,  "  Shall  I  release  the  King  of 
the  Jews  ?  " 

But  led  by  the  priests,  they  shouted,  "  Not  this 
man,  but  Barabbas  !  "  Barabbas  was  a  thief  and 
murderer,  who  had  been  caught  and  put  in  prison. 

"  What  then  shall  I  do  with  Him  whom  ye 
call  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?  "  asked  Pilate. 

They  cried  out,  "  Away  with  Him.  Crucify, 
crucify  Him ! " 

Pilate  said,  "  Why,  what  evil  hath  He  done  ? 
I  will  scourge  Him,  and  set  Him  free." 

But  they  cried  out  all  the  more,  "  Crucify 
Him ! " 

Then  Pilate  sent  Jesus  to  be  scourged,  for  he 
was  afraid  of  the  tumult  of  the  people.  And  the 
guards  took  Him  with  His  hands  bound  into 
their  guard-room,  and  there  He  was  scourged ; 
that  is,  struck  many  times  with  a  horrible  whip 
of  many  cords. 


156  The  Story  of  Jesus 

And  the  soldiers  made  a  crown  of  thorny  leaves 
and  put  it  on  His  head,  and  put  in  His  hand  a 
reed  for  a  sceptre,  and  round  Him  they  threw  an 
old  purple  mantle.  Then  they  bowed  before 
Him,  and  mocked  Him,  and  said,  •'  Hail,  King 
of  the  Jews  !  " 

Then  Pilate  went  out  again  to  the  people.  "  I 
bring  Him  forth  to  you,  that  ye  may  know  I  find 
no  fault  in  Him,"  he  said. 

And  Jesus  came  out  upon  the  pavement,  wear- 
ing the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  purple  robe. 

"  Behold  the  Man  ! "  said  Pilate. 

They  cried  out  again,  "  Crucify  Him  !  " 

Then  Pilate  said,  "  Take  Him,  and  crucify 
Him.     I  find  no  fault  in  Him." 

The  priests  said,  "  By  our  law  He  ought  to 
die,  because  He  made  Himself  the  Son  of  God." 

Then  Pilate  was  much  afraid.  He  was  a  Ro- 
man, and  had  heard  many  stories  of  the  Roman 
and  Greek  gods  walking  about  as  men.  Perhaps 
Jesus  was  one  of  the  gods,  he  thought.  So  he 
took  Jesus  into  the  hall  again,  and  asked  Him, 
"  Whence  art  Thou  ?  " 

Jesus  did  not  answer. 

"  Speakest  Thou  not  unto  me  ?  Knowest  Thou 
not  that  I  have  power  to  release  Thee,  and  power 
to  crucify  Thee?"  Pilate  reminded  Him. 


Before  the  Governor  157 

Jesus  said,  "  Thou  wouldest  have  no  power 
against  Me,  except  it  were  given  thee  from  above, 
therefore  he  that  deHvereth  Me  to  thee  hath 
greater  sin." 

Pilate  was  the  more  afraid,  and  he  tried  once 
more  to  release  Jesus.  He  brought  Him  out 
again  on  the  shining  pavement,  before  the  angry- 
priests,  and  the  shouting  mob.  He  thought 
they  might  pity  Him  when  they  saw  Him  so 
helpless. 

"  Behold  your  King."  "  We  have  no  king  but 
Caesar,"  they  cried. 

Pilate  was  too  much  a  coward  to  do  right  and 
fear  nothing.  He  thought  that  the  priests  would 
complain  of  him  to  the  emperor,  and  that  his 
office  might  be  taken  from  him. 

He  called  for  water,  and  washed  his  hands  be- 
fore them  all,  and  said,  "  I  am  innocent  of  the 
blood  of  this  just  man  ;  see  ye  to  it." 

"  His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children,"  the 
people  cried  out. 

Then  Pilate  gave  sentence,  that  what  they 
asked  for  should  be  done.  He  set  free  the  rob- 
ber and  murderer,  Barabbas,  but  gave  Jesus  up 
to  be  crucified. 


158  The  Story  of  Jesus 

CHAPTER  LIX 
JESUS  CRUCIFIED 

THE  soldiers  took  off  the  purple  robe, 
and  put  His  own  clothes  on  Jesus. 
On  His  shoulders  they  laid  a  heavy 
cross  of  wood,  and  they  led  Him  out  into  the 
street.  But  He  fell  under  the  weight  of  the 
cross,  for  He  had  endured  so  much,  that  He  was 
weak  and  trembling.  The  soldiers  saw  a  man 
named  Simon,  who  had  just  come  in  from  the 
country,  looking  on,  and  they  called  him,  and 
made  him  bear  the  cross  behind  Jesus.  As  they 
went  along,  a  great  crowd  followed.  Men  with- 
out pity  were  shouting  for  His  death,  but  the 
women  were  sorry  for  Him,  and  they  wailed 
aloud. 

Jesus  turned  to  them,  and  spoke.  "  Daughters 
of  Jerusalem,"  He  said  gently,  "  weep  not  for 
Me,  but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  for  your  chil- 
dren." 

So  they  came  to  a  place  outside  one  of  the 
gates,  close  to  the  road.  It  was  a  little,  bare  hill, 
called  Calvary.     Here  the  soldiers  stopped  and 


Jesus  Crucified  159 

laid  the  cross  on  the  ground.  There  were  two 
other  crosses  as  well ;  for  two  robbers  had  been 
brought  out  to  be  crucified  at  the  same  time. 

They  offered  Jesus  some  drink  that  was  given 
to  those  who  were  to  be  crucified  to  deaden  the 
pain,  but  He  would  not  take  it.  Then  they  laid 
Him  on  the  cross,  and  nailed  His  hands  and  feet 
to  the  wood, — the  kind  hands  that  had  been  good 
to  every  one.  He  prayed,  "  Father,  forgive 
them  ;  they  know  not  what  they  do." 

The  soldiers  put  the  crosses  into  holes  in  the 
ground ;  the  two  robbers  on  either  side  of  Jesus. 
Over  His  head,  on  a  strip  of  wood,  nailed  to  the 
cross,  these  words  were  written,  "  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth, the  King  of  the  Jews."  Pilate  had  ordered 
this  to  be  put  in  three  languages,  Hebrew,  Greek, 
and  Latin,  so  that  every  one  who  went  by  might 
read. 

The  chief  priests  had  come  to  look  on,  and 
when  they  saw  the  words  they  sent  to  Pilate  to  ask 
that  they  might  be  altered  to  read  that  Jesus  said, 
He  was  King  of  the  Jews.  Pilate  refused.  "What 
I  have  written,  I  have  written,"  he  told  them. 

A  centurion  and  four  soldiers  stood  to  guard 
the  cross.  Presently  they  took  the  clothing  of 
Jesus,  and  divided  it  among  themselves.  They 
would  not  tear  His  coat,  because  it  was  woven 


i6o  The  Story  of  Jesus 

in  one  piece,  and  had  no  seam,  so  they  cast  lots 
for  it.  They  could  not  know  that  it  was  written 
by  a  Jewish  prophet  that  this  should  be  done. 
Then  they  sat  down,  and  watched  Him. 

The  people  still  stood  looking,  and  the 
passers-by  read  the  words  above  the  cross,  and 
jeered,  and  pointed  at  Jesus,  and  said,  "  King, 
come  down  from  the  cross ! "  The  priests 
mocked  Him :  "  He  saved  others  ;  Himself  He 
cannot  save.  Let  Him  come  down  from  the 
cross,  and  we  will  believe  Him."  The  soldiers 
taunted  Him  ;  even  the  robbers  on  either  side 
cried  to  Him,  "  If  Thou  be  Christ,  save  Thyself, 
and  us." 

But  the  Lord  had  become  like  a  slave,  and  was 
"  obedient  to  death,"  even  to  the  slave's  shameful 
death  of  the  cross.  He  had  chosen  to  suffer  all, 
that  He  might  save  all.  And  so  it  is,  that  Jesus 
from  His  cross  has  drawn  men  to  Himself  as  a 
Saviour  and  a  King. 

One  of  the  robbers  was  not  as  bad  as  the  other. 
He  was  the  Lord's  first  disciple  from  His  cross. 
As  he  looked  and  wondered  at  His  patience,  he 
saw  no  longer  a  deceiver  crucified  by  the  Romans, 
and  believed  that  He  was  indeed  a  King,  and  a 
King  who  could  pardon  his  own  bad  life. 
When  the  other  kept  on  shouting  at  Jesus,  this 


Jesus  Crucified  l6l 

one  said  to  him,  •'  Dost  thou  not  fear  God  ? 
We  justly  suffer  for  what  we  have  done,  but  this 
man  hath  done  nothing  amibs.  Jesus,  remem- 
ber me  when  Thou  comest  into  Thy  kingdom," 
he  added. 

"  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  Me  in  Paradise," 
was  the  answer. 

And  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  stood  by  His 
cross.  She  had  come  as  close  as  she  could  to  her 
dear  Son,  and  her  grief  was  like  a  sword  piercing 
lier  heart.     John  was  by  her, — His  closest  friend. 

Jesus  thought  how  lonely  Mary  would  be 
when  He  was  gone,  and  from  the  cross  He  left 
her  to  the  care  of  John. 

"  Woman,  behold  thy  son  !  "  He  said.  "  Son, 
behold  thy  mother  !  "  ^ 

From  that  time  John  was  a  son  to  Mary,  and 
took  her  to  his  home.  .  .  .  It  was  noon,  and 
the  sun  was  bright  and  hot,  when  suddenly  over 
the  city  and  the  hill  Calvary  fell  thick  darkness. 
It  was  a  sign  of  the  dreadful  thing  that  was  hap- 
pening. The  silence  and  darkness  lasted  three 
hours,  so  that  the  people  were  afraid,  and  left  off 
mocking. 

After  that  Jesus  cried,  "  My  God,  My  God, 
why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me  ?  " 

The  people  were  full  of  awe.     Some  of  them 


i62  The  Story  of  Jesus 

thought  that  He  was  calling  for  Elijah,  for  Jesus 
used  the  Hebrew  word  Eloi  for  God. 

Jesus  said  again,  "  I  thirst."  And  one  man, 
kinder  than  the  others,  took  the  sponge  that 
served  for  a  cork  to  the  big  jar  that  held  the 
drink  of  the  soldiers.  He  dipped  it  in  the  wine, 
like  vinegar  that  the  soldiers  drank,  and  as  he 
could  not  reach  high  enough,  he  put  it  on  the  end 
of  a  stick  of  hyssop,  and  held  it  to  His  mouth. 
But  the  others  said,  "  Let  be,  let  us  see  if  Elijah 
will  come  to  help." 

But  Elijah  did  not  come,  nor  any  angel,  for 
Jesus  had  nearly  done  His  work.  And  now  He 
cried  again,  "  Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  commit 
My  spirit." 

Once  again  He  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  "  It  is 
finished."     And  He  bowed  His  head  and  died. 

Then  there  was  an  earthquake,  and  the  rocks 
split,  and  the  great  curtain  in  the  Temple  was 
torn  in  two,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom. 

Those  round  the  cross  trembled  with  fear. 
The  centurion  said,  "  Truly,  this  man  was  right- 
eous ;  this  was  a  Son  of  God." 

Then  the  people  went  away  wailing  and  beat- 
ing their  breasts  to  show  their  sorrow.  The 
women  who  had  followed  Jesus  from  Galilee 
stood  a  little  way  off,  watching  all  the  time. 


The  Grave  in  the  Garden  163 

So  the  Son  of  God  gave  His  hfe  a  ransom  for 
many.  It  was  the  hour  that  many  a  Passover 
lamb  was  killed  for  the  feast. 


CHAPTER  LX 

THE  GRAVE  IN  THE  GARDEN 

IT  was  nearly  sunset,  when  the  Sabbath  would 
begin,  so  the  chief  priests  went  to  Pilate  and 
begged  that  the  bodies  might  be  taken  down 
that  they  might  not  hang  on  the  crosses  on  the 
Sabbath,  because  it  was  the  great  feast  day.  The 
soldiers  came  and  broke  the  legs  of  the  two  rob- 
bers, to  make  death  quick  and  sure,  and  took 
them  down  ;  but  they  saw  that  Jesus  was  already 
dead.  And  one  of  them  drove  his  spear  into 
His  side. 

Joseph  of  Arimathea  went  in  boldly  to  Pilate, 
and  asked  for  the  body  of  Jesus.  Pilate  called 
the  centurion,  and  when  he  knew  that  Jesus  was 
dead,  he  gave  Joseph  leave  to  take  it. 

Then  Joseph  went  and  bought  fine  white  linen, 
and  Nicodemus  came  with  sweet  spices  and 
myrrh.  Together  they  took  down  the  body  of 
Jesus  and  wrapped  it  in  the  clean  linen  with  the 


164  The  Story  of  Jesus 

spices.  Joseph  had  a  garden  near  by.  In  it  was 
a  new  tomb  hewn  in  the  rock,  which  he  had 
made  for  himself.  Here  they  laid  the  body  of 
Jesus,  in  haste,  because  the  sun  was  setting. 
They  rolled  a  large  stone  in  the  doorway,  and 
then  went  home  to  keep  the  Sabbath. 

The  women  watched,  and  when  all  was  fin- 
ished, they  too  went  home  quickly.  But  before 
they  kept  the  Sabbath  rest,  they  got  ready  sweet 
spices  and  ointments,  to  take  to  the  grave  when 
it  should  be  over. 

But  the  chief  priests  remembered,  what  the  dis- 
ciples had  forgotten,  that  Jesus  had  said  that  He 
would  rise  again. 

They  went  once  more  to  Pilate  and  said,  "  Sir, 
we  remember  that  that  deceiver  said.  After  three 
days  I  will  rise  again.  Command  that  the  tomb 
be  made  sure  till  the  third  day,  lest  His  disciples 
come  and  steal  Him  away,  and  say  to  the  people 
that  He  is  risen  from  the  dead."  Pilate  reminded 
them,  "  Ye  have  a  guard  ;  go  your  way  ;  make  it 
as  sure  as  ye  can." 

So  they  sent  the  guard  to  put  a  seal  on  the 
stone,  and  to  watch  the  tomb. 


Jesus  Rises  From  the  Dead        165 


CHAPTER  LXI 
JESUS  RISES  FROM  THE  DEAD 

THE  sun  had  not  risen,  and  it  was  still 
dark  when  Mary  Magdalene  and 
Salome,  and  the  other  Mary  came  to 
the  garden  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  They 
had  brought  their  spices  and  ointments ;  but  as 
they  went  along,  they  said  to  one  another,  "  Who 
shall  roll  away  the  stone  for  us  from  the  door  of 
the  tomb  ?  " — for  it  was  far  too  heavy  for  them 
to  move.  They  did  not  know  of  the  guard,  and 
the  great  seal  upon  the  stone. 

But  when  they  came  to  the  tomb,  the  stone 
was  rolled  away  from  the  door.  For  a  little 
while  before,  in  the  dawn  while  the  soldiers  were 
keeping  watch,  an  angel  had  come  down.  He 
rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  tomb, 
and  sat  upon  it.  The  guards  shook  with  fear, 
and  fled  into  the  city. 

But  the  angel  said  to  the  women,  "  Fear  not 
ye;  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus,  which  hath 
been  crucified.     He  is  not  here ;  He  is  risen,  as 


l66  The  Story  of  Jesus 

He  said.  Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord 
lay.  And  go  quickly,  and  tell  His  disciples,  and 
Peter,  He  is  risen  from  the  dead." 

So  they  looked  into  the  tomb,  and  saw  that  it 
was  empty.  Then  they  ran  quickly  to  tell  the 
others,  though  they  could  hardly  believe  what 
they  had  seen,  for  it  seemed  too  good  to  be  true. 

Mary  Magdalene  went  to  Peter  and  John.  She 
could  only  say,  "  They  have  taken  away  the  Lord 
out  of  the  tomb,  and  we  know  not  where  they 
have  laid  Him." 

Then  Peter  and  John  ran  to  the  tomb,  but 
John  was  there  first,  and  he  stooped  down  and 
saw  the  hnen  grave  clothes  lying  inside.  When 
Peter  came  up,  he  went  inside,  and  he  noticed 
that  they  were  folded  and  put  in  order.  Then 
John  went  in,  and  when  he  saw  it,  he  believed 
that  Jesus  had  risen,  and  that  He  had  done  it. 
Then  they  both  went  home. 

But  Mary  had  followed  them  back,  and  now 
she  stood  outside  the  grave  weeping.  She 
stooped  down  and  looked  in,  and  saw  two  angels 
sitting  where  the  body  of  Jesus  had  been.  They 
said  to  her,  "  Woman,  why  weepest  thou  ?  " 

She  said,  "  Because  they  have  taken  away  my 
Lord,  and  I  know  not  where  they  have  laid 
Him."     Mary  could  hardly  see  through  her  tears 


"HE  WOMEN   AT  THE  TOMB 


Jesus  Rises  From  the  Dead        167 

that  these  were  shining  angels,  and  she  turned 
away. 

Some  one  stood  in  the  garden  who  said, 
"  Woman,  why  weepest  thou  ? "  And  she 
thought  it  was  the  gardener.  "  Sir,"  she  said,  "  if 
thou  hast  borne  Him  hence,  tell  me  where  thou 
hast  laid  Him,  and  I  will  take  Him  away." 

He  said,  "  Mary." 

She  fell  at  His  feet  and  held  them,  and  said, 
"  Master."     For  it  was  Jesus. 

He  said,  "  Touch  Me  not ;  I  am  not  yet  as- 
cended to  My  Father.  But  go  to  My  brothers, 
and  tell  them,  I  ascend  to  My  Father  and  your 
Father ;  to  My  God  and  your  God." 

The  other  women  had  run  to  tell  the  other 
disciples.  Jesus  went  to  meet  them.  "  All 
hail,"  He  said.  And  when  they  fell  at  His  feet 
to  worship,  He  told  them,  "  Be  not  afraid  ;  go, 
tell  My  brothers  they  shall  see  Me  in  Galilee." 

But  when  they  came  to  the  others,  they  found 
them  mourning  and  weeping,  and  they  would  not 
beheve  the  story  of  the  angels,  and  the  empty 
tomb,  and  that  Jesus  had  met  them.  For  it  was 
only  the  women  who  had  seen  Jesus,  and  the 
others  thought  that  they  had  been  deceived.  But 
Peter  and  John  wondered  and  hoped. 

The  guard  had  gone  to  the  chief  priests  and 


i68  The  Story  of  Jesus 

told  them  what  had  happened,  and  that  the  tomb 
was  empty.  And  the  priests  gave  them  a  large 
sum  of  money  and  told  them  to  say  "  that  the 
disciples  had  stolen  away  the  body  of  Jesus  while 
they  were  asleep."  If  the  governor  heard  of  it, 
the  priests  promised  to  make  it  right  for  them 
with  him.  It  was  death  to  any  Roman  soldier 
to  _^sleep  at  his  post ;  yet  ever  since,  the  Jews 
have  believed  the  story  that  the  priests  made  up. 

Even  now  most  Jews  curse  the  name  of  Jesus. 
They  say  that  He  was  a  false  Messiah,  and  de- 
served to  be  crucified.  They  still  look  for  an- 
other, the  true  Messiah,  to  lead  them  back  into 
their  own  land. 

But  the  two  great  days  when  the  Lord  was 
crucified,  and  when  He  rose  again,  have  made 
the  world  a  different  place  for  all  people. 

CHAPTER  LXII 
THE  EVENING  OF  THE  RESURRECTION  DAY 

THAT  evening,  two  of  the  friends  of  Je- 
sus set  out  for  their  home  in  the  village 
of  Emmaus,  a  little  way  from  Jerusa- 
lem. And  they  talked  together  of  all  that  had 
taken  place. 


The  Evening  of  the  Resurrection  Day    169 

Presently  another  traveler  came  up,  and  walked 
along  with  them.  He  inquired  what  they  were 
talking  about  so  earnestly.  They  stopped  in 
sadness  and  surprise,  and  one  of  them,  Cleopas, 
said,  "  Dost  thou  lodge  alone  in  Jerusalem,  and 
hast  not  known  the  things  which  are  come  to 
pass  there  in  these  days  ?  " 

"  What  things  ?  "  asked  the  stranger. 

And  they  told  him  the  story  of  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth, the  prophet  whom  they  had  hoped  was 
Messiah,  and  how  He  was  given  up  to  death,  and 
that  the  women  who  went  to  the  tomb  said  that 
He  was  alive  again,  but  they  did  not  know  how 
to  believe  it. 

He  said,  "  Oh,  foolish  men,  and  slow  of  heart 
to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  spake !  Ought 
not  the  Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and 
to  enter  into  His  glory  ?  " 

And  He  explained  how  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets had  written  of  a  Messiah  who  should  suffer,  as 
well  as  reign. 

But  now  they  had  come  to  their  village,  and  it 
seemed  that  the  stranger  was  going  farther,  so 
they  begged  Him  to  come  into  their  house. 
"  Abide  with  us.  It  is  toward  evening,  and  the 
day  is  far  spent,"  they  said. 

So  He  went  in  to  stay  a  little  while  with  them. 


Ijo  The  Story  of  Jesus 

He  sat  down  to  supper  with  them,  and  He 
took  the  bread  in  His  hands  and  blessed  and 
broke  it,  and  handed  it  to  them.  That  was  the 
way  of  Jesus,  and  suddenly  their  eyes  were  open 
to  know  Him,  for  it  was  Jesus  Himself  who  sat 
there  with  them.  But  He  had  gone  even  while 
they  looked.  And  they  said  to  one  another, 
"  Did  not  our  hearts  burn  within  us,  while  He 
spoke  to  us  in  the  way  ?  " 

They  could  not  stay  at  home  for  joy,  but  went 
back  at  once  to  Jerusalem  to  tell  the  others. 
They  found  them  talking  together  after  the 
evening  meal.  "  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  hath 
appeared  to  Simon,"  they  were  saying  with  joy. 

And  while  Cleopas  and  the  other  told  their 
story,  and  how  they  knew  Jesus  when  He  broke 
the  bread  and  gave  thanks,  Jesus  Himself  stood 
among  them,  and  said,  "  Peace  be  unto  you." 

They  were  frightened  at  first,  but  He  said  to 
them,  "  Why  are  ye  troubled  ?  See  My  hands 
and  My  feet,  that  it  is  I  Myself."  And  He 
showed  them  His  hands  and  His  feet,  and  they 
were  marked  with  the  nails  with  which  He  was 
crucified. 

And  when  they  could  yet  hardly  believe  for 
joy,  and  wondered  at  Him,  He  asked,  "  Have  ye 
here  any  food  ?  "     And  they  gave  Him  some  fish 


The  Evening  of  the  Resurrection  Day    171 

and  a  piece  of  honeycomb,  and  watched  Him 
while  He  took  it. 

Then  He  said  again,  "  Peace  be  unto  you. 
As  My  Father  hath  sent  Me,  even  so  send  I  you." 

But  Thomas  the  doubter  was  not  there  when 
Jesus  came,  and  when  the  others  told  him,  "  We 
have  seen  the  Lord,"  he  said,  "  Except  I  put  my 
fingers  into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my 
hand  into  His  side," — the  side  that  had  been 
pierced  by  the  soldier's  spear, — "  I  will  not  be- 
lieve." For  he  thought  that  they  were  all  mis- 
taken, and  that  they  had  seen  a  spirit. 

Eight  days  after,  when  they  were  all  together 
in  the  same  room,  and  the  doors  were  shut,  Jesus 
came  again. 

"  Peace  be  unto  you,"  He  said,  for  that  was 
the  greeting. 

And  then  turning  to  Thomas,  who  was  there 
this  time,  "  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold 
My  hands ;  and  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust 
it  into  My  side;  and  be  not  faithless,  but  be- 
lieving." 

And  Thomas  in  love  and  fear  said,  "  My 
Lord  and  my  God." 

"  Because  thou  hast  seen  Me,  thou  hast  be- 
lieved ;  blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and 
yet  have  believed,"  said  the  Lord. 


72  The  Story  of  Jesus 


CHAPTER  LXIII 
"LOVEST  THOU   ME?" 

A  SHORT  time  after,  the  disciples  went 
back  to  Galilee,  for  Jesus  had  said  that 
He  would  meet  them  there.  Seven  of 
them  were  together  when  one  evening  Peter 
said,  "  I  go  fishing,"  and  the  others  rejoined, 
"  We  also  come  with  thee."  So  they  launched 
the  boat,  and  went  out  on  the  lake ;  but  all  the 
night  they  caught  nothing. 

When  the  day  was  breaking,  and  they  were 
tired  and  hungry,  Jesus  stood  on  the  beach,  but 
they  did  not  know  Him  in  the  dim  light. 

And  He  hailed  them,  "  Lads,  have  ye  made  a 
catch?"  or  as  some  would  say,  "  Children,  have 
ye  any  fish  ?  " 
^   "  No,"  they  called  back. 

«'  Cast  the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the  boat  and 
ye  shall  find,"  He  called  again. 

So  they  let  down  the  net,  and  it  became  so 
full  of  fish  that  they  could  not  pull  it  up.  John 
said   to    Peter,  "  It   is   the   Lord."     And    Peter 


"Lovest  Thou  Me?"  173 

threw  on  his  coat,  and  jumped  into  the  water, 
and  swam  ashore  to  Jesus.  The  others  brought 
their  boat  ashore,  and  the  net  full  of  fish. 

There  was  a  fire  burning  on  the  beach,  and 
fish  put  to  cook,  and  bread,  for  Jesus  had  pre- 
pared a  meal  for  them.  "  Bring  of  the  fish, 
which  ye  have  now  caught,"  He  said.  Peter 
pulled  the  net  up  ;  there  were  a  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  big  fish  in  it. 

"  Come  and  dine,"  He  told  them,  and  as  He 
used  to  do,  He  handed  them  the  bread  and  the 
broiled  fish.  And  they  were  happy  once  more 
with  their  Master. 

And  when  they  had  finished  their  meal,  Jesus 
said  to  Peter,  '•  Simon," — for  just  then  He  would 
not  call  him  by  his  other  name  of  Peter — "  lovest 
thou  Me  more  than  these  ?  " 

Peter  answered,  "  Yea,  Lord,  Thou  knowest 
that  I  love  Thee  dearly." 

"  Feed  My  lambs,"  said  the  Lord. 

Then  a  second  time  came  the  question, 
"  Simon,  lovest  thou  Me  ?" 

Peter  answered  again,  "  Yea,  Lord,  Thou 
knowest  that  I  love  Thee  dearly." 

"  Keep  My  sheep,"  said  Jesus. 

But  when  the  Lord  asked  a  third  time,"  Simon, 
lovest  thou   Me  dearly  ?  "  Peter  was  grieved,  for 


174  The  Story  of  Jesus 

he  had  denied  his  Master  three  times  and  he  re- 
membered it  with  shame.  "  Lord,  Thou  knowest 
all  things  ;  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  Thee 
dearly,"  he  exclaimed. 

"  Feed  My  sheep." 

The  Lord  Jesus  knew  that  Peter  would  never 
desert  again,  and  He  went  on  to  tell  him  how 
one  day  when  he  was  old,  he  should  show  his 
love.  Faithful  to  death,  he  would  be  crucified  as 
his  Master  was. 

Another  time  Jesus  met  a  great  many  of  His 
disciples  when  they  were  together  on  a  hill  in 
Galilee.  There  He  told  them  to  go  and  teach 
all  nations ;  for  "  I  am  with  you  always." 

Forty  days  after  the  resurrection  He  met 
them  again  in  Jerusalem,  and  led  them  out  over 
the  Mount  of  Olives  toward  Bethany. 

He  told  them  to  wait  at  Jerusalem  till  He  sent 
His  promised  Spirit  to  guide  them.  Then  they 
should  be  His  witnesses  in  all  the  world. 

And  then  He  lifted  up  His  hands,  and  blessed 
them,  and  while  they  looked.  He  was  parted  from 
them,  and  a  cloud  hid  Him  from  their  sight. 

While  they  still  looked  up  and  wondered, 
two  men  in  white  stood  by  them  and  said,  •'  Ye 
men    of  Galilee,  why  stand   ye   gazing  up  into 


"  Lovest  Thou  Me?"  175 

heaven  ?  This  same  Jesus  shall  so  come  again, 
as  ye  have  seen  Him  go." 

Jesus  lives  and  rules  on  earth  since  then  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  love  Him.  And  we  know 
that  He  will  come  again. 

Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus. 


Date  Due 

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The  story  of  Jesus  told  for  children 

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